K77EC 
cop. 2 


RIGHTS  OF  CONGREGATIONA' 
LISTS  IN  KNOX  COLLEGE 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 
OF    ILLINOIS 


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cop»2 


Illinois  Historical  Survey 


liSTORIM  SURVEY 


i' 


RIOHTS 

OF 

CONGREGATIONALISTS 

I  N 

KNOX  COLLEGE. 


I  B  RAR.Y 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 
OF    ILLINOIS 

d 


IUIHOIS  HISMICM.  SURVEY 


RIGHTS 


OF 


CONGREGATIONALISTS 


EH 


KNOX  COLLEGE; 


BEING    THE 


01  a  (Sfrimmttef  0! 


OF    THE 


GENERAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  ILLINOIS; 


WITH    AN 


CHICAGO: 
CHURCH,  GOODMAN    &    CUSHING,    PR'S.   "  CONG.  HERALD,"  &C., 

51  and  53  La  Salle  Street. 
1859. 


At  the  4neeting  of  the  General  Association  of  Illinois,  held  at 
Bloomington,  May  26th,  1859,  and  onward,  the  Committee,  appointed 
to  investigate  the  relations  of  Congregationalists  to  Ktfox  College, 
having  reported,  it  was  unanimously  voted,  "  That  we  adopt  the  Report 
of  the  Committee  on  Knox  College,  and  authorize  the  same  Com- 
mittee to  publish  and  distribute  said  Report  in  such  way  as  they 
think  expedient:  also  to  secure,  if  practicable,  an  adjustment  of  the 
affairs  of  Knox  College  on  terms  which  shall  be  satisfactory  to  the 
two  denominations  principally  concerned ;  and  of  their  doings,  report 
to  this  body  at  its  next  annual  meeting." 


JjUlc 


</./•  '"'# 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE, 


For  several  years  the  public  ear  lias  been  vexed  with  the 
sound  of  controversy  in  connection  with  Knox  College,  located 
at  Galesburg,  in  this  State.  Two  important  denominations 
have  seemed  to  be  in  strife  respecting  it.  The  New  School 
Presbyterians  have  been  understood  to  claim,  that  the  college, 
with  its  noble  endowment,  now  amounting  to  nearly  four  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  was  founded  and  enriched  by  them,  and 
ought  to  be  of  right,  and  would  be  hereafter  in  fact,  adminis- 
tered by  them.  The  Congregational  is  ts,  insisting  that  they 
participated  in  its  foundation  and  chiefly  furnished  its  endow- 
ment, have  claimed,  that  the  institution  should  continue  to  be 
upon  a  union  basis,  and  should  not  be  ma$e  distinctively  sec- 
tarian. For  the  sake  equally  of  truth,  justice  and  peace,  it  is 
desirable  that  the  facts  of  the  case  should  be  ascertained  and 
the  rights  of  all  parties  settled. 

In  order  to  this,  the  General  Association  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Ministers  and  Churches  of  Illinois,  at  their  session  in 
May  1858,  appointed  a  committee  of  seven  to  investigate  the 
facts  and  report  the  result,  first  to  the  public  through  the 
Congregational  Herald,  and  subsequently  to  the  General 
Association.  (For  the  complete  action  of  the  General  Associ- 
ation in  this  matter,  see  Appendix  A.)  The  committee  were 
directed  to  take  as  the  guide  of  their  inquiries,  a  Statement 
published  by  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox  in  Septem- 
ber,  1857,  and  to  ascertain  whether  it  was  correct;  and  further- 
more  to  consider  and  report  upon  the  connected  charges  and 


p 47369 


\\^  4 

action  of  that  Presbytery  against  Rev.  Edward  Beecher,  D.D. 
late  the  Moderator  of  the  General  Association.  (For  the  docu- 
ment of  the  Presbytery  in  full,  see  Appendix  B.) 

The  Chairman  convened  the  Committee  at  Galesburg,  Sept. 
28th,  1358,  by  a  notice  printed  in  the  Congregational  Herald. 
Under  date  of  Sept.  9th,  he  wrote  letters  to  Rev.  Dr.  Curtis, 
President  of  the  College,  and  to  Rev.  Dr.  Gale,  ex-Professor 
and  one  of  the  founders,  as  also  chief  Advocate  of  the  Presby- 
terian side  of  the  controversy,  inviting  them  to  be  present  at 
the  meeting  and  to  use  all  appropriate  means  to  develop  the 
facts  before  the  Committee.  Similar  invitations  were  sent  to 
Rev.  J.  Blanchard,  ex-President  of  the  College,  and  to  Rev. 
Dr.  Edward  Beecher.  (For  a  copy  of  these  invitations  see  Ap- 
pendix C.)  No  reply  was  received  from  Drs.  Curtis  and  Gale, 
nor  did  either  of  them  appear,  nor  any  one  in  their  behalf, 
before  the  Committee.  As  soon  as  the  Committee  were  to- 
gether, they  dispatched  a  similar  invitation  to  the  Rev.  J.  W. 
Bailey,  of  Galesburg,  Professor  in  the  College  and  the  stated 
Clerk  of  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox;  but  no  answer 
was  returned,  nor  did  the  brother  present  himself,  or  any  docu- 
ments, in  the  meeting  of  the  Committee.  Brethren  Blanchard 
and  Beecher  attended  and  were  heard  at  length.  The  Com- 
mittee at  the  beginning  of  their  session  also  passed  a  resolution 
inviting  the  co-operation  of  all  persons  whatsoever,  and  parti- 
cularly of  New  School  Presbyterians,  in  the  investigation, 
throwing  open  the  meeting  to  remarks,  suggestions,  arguments, 
corrections,  testimony,  and  documents  from  any  quarter.  (See 
Minutes  of  the  Committee,  Appendix  D.)  During  the  several 
sessions  of  the  Committee,  and  again  at  the  close,  most  urgent 
appeals  were  made  by  the  Chairman  and  other  members,  to 
the  large  company  present  (containing  persons  of  all  parties, 
many  of  whom  were  familiar  with  the  facts)  to  bring  forward 
anything  with  which  the  Committee  ought  to  be  made  aquaint- 
ed.  And  finally,  as  a  last  appeal,  the  Chairman,  by  direction 
of  the  Committee,  wrote  a  second  time  to  Rev.  Dr.  Gale,  and 


/ 


through  him  to  Messrs.  Curtis  and  Bailey,  after  the  public 
meeting  at  Galesburg,  desiring  those  gentlemen  to  forward  to 
the  Committee,  by  the  20th  of  October,  any  documents  which 
they  deemed  it  important  for  them  to  examine.  To  this  a 
reply  was  made,  dated  Chicago,  19th  of  October,  declining  to 
comply  with  the  request,  for  several  assigned  reasons,  for  which, 
with  inserted  remarks  in  reply,  see  Appendix  C. 

The  Rev.  Drs.  Barnes  and  Hopkins,  originally  associated 
with  the  Committee  by  the  resolution  of  this  body,  were  not 
able  to  accept  their  appointment,  and  there  seemed  to  be  no 
opportunity  to  fill  the  vacancy  with  men  of  similar  relations  to 
the  parties  concerned.  Messrs.  Eli  Farnham  and  Julius  De 
Long  appeared  as  "advisory  members"  from  the  "First 
Church  of  Christ"  and  the  "  First  Congregational  Church," 
of  Galesburg,  during  the  session  in  that  place. 

While,  so  far  as  the  moral  influence  of  the  investigation  is 
concerned,  the  Committee  regret  the  want  of  co-operation  by 
our  Presbyterian  brethren,  they  are  not  aware  that  their  means 
of  information  have  been  seriously,  if  at  all,  restricted  thereby. 
During  the  progress  of  the  controversy  so  many  articles  have 
been  published  by  those  brethren,  and,  with  the  original  docu- 
ments to  which  they  refer,  have  come  under  examination  by 
the  Committee,  that  it  may  be  said  to  be  in  full  possession  of 
their  view  of  the  case,  and  of  what  they  claim  to  be  the  verit- 
able facts  in  the  history  of  the  institution.  Much  printed  and 
oral  testimony  of  an  independent  and  unsectarian  -character 
has  also  been  accumulated,  in  addition  to  the  statements  of 
Congregationalists.  The  principal  sources  of  information  upon 
which  the  Committee  have  relied  are  these:  the  personal  tes- 
timony of  some  of  the  original  founders  of  the  colony,  church 
and  college,  and  of  early  settlers  in  the  town ;  copies  of  the 
original  plan  of  the  enterprise,  of  the  original  subscription  and 
of  the  sales  made  in  New  York  State  after  the  location  was 
determined ;  certified  abstracts  of  county  records,  showing  by 
whom  the  farming  lands,  which  originally  endowed  the  college, 


V    6 

were  actually  purchased  and  to  whom  they  were  deeded; 
statements  of  Trustees  of  the  college ;  testimony  of  members 
and  officers  of  the  First  Church  of  Galesburg;  a  certified  list 
of  the  original  members  and  their  denominational  relations; 
printed  Manual  of  said  Church  and  its  history,  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Gale;  History  of  the  town  and  college  by  Rev.  Dr.  Gale; 
printed  letters  and  communications  of  Rev.  Drs.  Gale  and  E. 
Beecher,  Prof.  Losey,  0.  H.  Browning,  Esq.,  and  others,  in 
various  secular  and  religious  newspapers ;  the  Charter  of  Knox 
College;  the  Inaugural  Address  of  President  Curtis;  the 
Records  of  the  "First  Church"  in  Galesburg;  the  printed 
action  of  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox;  the  printed 
address  and  other  articles  of  Rev.  Dr.  E.  Beecher  respecting 
Knox  College  and  its  recent  difficulties;  annual  reports  of  the 
"  Western  College"  Society ;  and  letters  from  Rev.  Dr.  Chapin 
of  Beloit  College,  S.  P.  Williston  and  others  acquainted  with 
important  facts  bearing  on  the  points  in  controversy . 

The  Committee  are  therefore  persuaded  that  they  are  sub- 
stantially in  possession  of  the  facts  and  arguments  urged  by  all 
parties  to  this  controversy,  so  as  to  enable  them  to  do  justice 
to  the  truth. 

As  the  duty  assigned  by  the  General  Association  was,  "  to 
enquire  into  certain  statements  put  forth  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Peoria  and  Knox  touching  the  relations  of  Presbyterians  and 
Congregationalists  to  said  institution,"  the  Committee  will  re- 
port upon  the  several  statements  referred  to  in  order,  simply 
premising,  that  this  Report  is  accompanied  with  a  copious 
Appendix,  in  which  will  be  found  documents  abundantly  cor- 
roborating every  position  taken  by  the  Committee,  and  to 
which,  upon  the  publication  of  the  Report,  they  would  direct 
the  special  attention  of  the  reader,  as  affording  him  the  means 
of  forming  an  independent  judgment  in  the  case.  It  is  hoped 
that  no  reader  will  fail  to  turn  to  the  Appendix  and  read  the 
proof,  when  he  meets  the  reference  to  it  in  the  Report. 

I.     The  Presbytery  deny  that  any  intention  exists  among 


New  School  Presbyterians  to  make  Knox  College  a  sectarian 
institution  under  their  control.  Their  language  is,  "The 
charge  has  been  publicly  made  and  zealously  circulated,  that 
the  Presbyterian  body  are  aiming  to  secure  the  entire  control 
of  Knox  College,  in  order  to  make  it  a  sectarian  institution. 
Such  a  charge  we  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  is  wholly  unfounded. 
*  *  *  No  design  exists  among  the  Presbyterian  body  to  make 
this  college  a  sectarian  institution."  (See  Appendix  B.)  In 
support  of  this  denial  they  allege,  that  they  speak  from  know- 
ledge, because  the  Presbyterian  members  of  the  College  Board 
of  Trust  are  almost  all  within  the  bounds  of  that  Presbytery, 
as  ministers  and  church  members. 

It  is  important  to  understand  what  is  meant  by  a  "  sectari- 
an" college.  The  phrase  is  not  currently  used  in  the  sense 
that  the  students  are  restricted  to  a  particular  denomination, 
nor  that  active  and  direct  efforts  are  made  to  proselyte  them  to 
a  specific  creed,  nor  that  all  the  Trustees  or  Professors  are 
characterized  by  a  common  faith.  Harvard  University  has  for 
years  been  known  as  Unitarian  (by  usurpation,  however,  as 
the  Orthodox  contend)  and  Brown  University  as  Baptist,  with- 
out either  of  these  things  being  true  of  them.  But  a  college  is 
deemed  sectarian,  when,  by  means  of  a  majority  of  its  Board 
of  Trust,  it  is  controlled  by,  and  for  the  interest  of,  a  particular 
sect,  who  shape  its  affairs,  fill  the  professorships  chiefly  with 
their  own  men,  and  secure  its  influence  generally  in  favor  of 
themselves.  That  an  attempt  is  making,  and  is  likely  to  suc- 
ceed, to  render  Knox  College  "  sectarian,"  in  this,  the  custom- 
ary and  technical  sense,  we  deem  almost  too  obvious  for 
argument,  and  are  not  a  little  astonished  at  the  denial  made 
by  the  Presbytery.  Let  the  following  facts  and  consid- 
erations have  weijht. 

1.  Such  a  design  is  a  matter  of  public  notoriety  and  state- 
ment, and  this  equally  among  Presbyterians  as  others.  At 
Galesburg,  at  Chicago,  in  other  cities  and  towns  throughout 
the  State,  among  ministers  and  laymen,  this  is  a  common  topic 


8 

of  conversation,  in  which  no  one  disputes  the/ac£,  but  only  its 
rightfulness.  Presbyterians  are  everywhere  heard  claiming  the 
college  as  properly  theirs,  rejoicing  in  their  success  in  having 
gained  possession  of  it,  and  stating  their  determination  here- 
after to  exercise  distinctive  control.  The  Committee  them- 
selves and  thousands  of  others  are  witnesses  in  support  of  this 
affirmation. 

2.  Such  a  design  accords  with  the  prevailing  tendency 
of  the  New  School  Presbyterian  denomination  at  the  present 
time.  Once  its  characteristeric  spirit  was  that  of  fraternity  and 
union  with  their  Congregational  brethren ;  now  it  is  that  of 
division  and  distinct  action.  The  acknowledged  aim  of  its 
modern  leaders  is,  to  act  as  far  as  possible  denominationally, 
and  the  initiative  steps  have  been  rapidly  taken,  at  first  by  in- 
creasing majorities,  and  lately  by  unanimous  votes,  in  the 
General  Assembly,  on  the  subjects  of  Church  Extension, 
Church  Erection,  Home  and  Foreign  Missions,  the  publication 
of  books  and  tracts,  and  Ministerial  Education.  This  new, 
sectarian  spirit  took  its  rise  in  the  West  and  North  West,  and 
has  developed  with  great  zeal  and  force  in  our  own  region.  It 
has  led  to  efforts  to  break  up  the  happy  union  of  Presbyterians 
and  Congregationalista  in  Wisconsin,  to  the  establishment  of 
sectarian  Presbyterian  colleges  in  this  and  contiguous  States, 
and  to  the  rejection  of  proposals  from  the  Congregationalists 
for  a  union  Theological  Seminary  for  the  North-West,  and  a 
decision  to  institute  one  for  themselves  alone.  That  such  a 
denominational  fervor,  abjuring  the  plans  of  the  old  counselors, 
reversing  the  former  methods  of  the  body,  and  forming,  in 
their  own  language,  "  a  new  epoch  in  the  history  of  our  [N.  S. 
Presbyterian]  church,"  (Minutes  of  Gen.  Assembly  for  1855, 
page  49.)  should  avail  itself  of  an  opportunity  to  gain  the  con- 
trol of  an  important  and  prospectively  wealthy  institution,  on 
the  field  of  its  warmest  conflict,  is  surely  not  improbable ;  and 
the  connection  of  the  two  things  must  be  obvious  to  every  in- 
telligent observer. 


9 

3.  Such  a  design  is  the  ouly  explanation  of  the  singular 
and  persistent  course  which  has  been  pursued  for  years  by  the 
Presbyterian  party  in  the  Board  of  Trust  of  Knox  College. 
That  course  is  known  to  have  been  followed  in  connection  with 
close  and  frequent  consultation  with  the  leading  minds  of  the 
denomination  in  this  region.  Though  we  would  not  deny  that 
the  difficulties  in  the  Board  had  their  aggravation,  if  not  their 
origin,  in  private  and  personal  jealousies,  it  is  clear  that  they 
soon  took  a  sectarian  form  and  spirit.  The  deliberate  aim 
seemed  to  be,  to  break  down  the  power  cf  Congregationalism 
in  the  Board,  and  to  give  the  control  of  the  institution  to  the 
Presbyterians.  To  accomplish  this,  resort  was  had  to  most 
unjustifiable  means;  among  which  may  be  mentioned,  two 
factious  flights  out  of  annual  meetings  of  the  Board  (in 
1849  and  1857)  breaking  up  a  quorum  and  thus  preventing 
all  business,  when  they  found  themselves  in  a  minority,  with 
an  affirmed  purpose  to  repeat  the  act  whenever  necessary  for 
their  party  purposes  (See  Appendix  E) ;  violation  of  a  com- 
promise which,  when  a  minority,  they  had  accepted  at  the  elec- 
tion of  certain  new  Trustees,  but  which  they  disregarded  as 
soon  as  they  found  themselves  in  a  majority  (See  Appendix 
E) ;  and  a  disregard  of  promises  to  fill  one  of  the  two  recent 
vacancies  in  the  Faculty  with  a  Congregationalist  (See  /•,  ppen- 
dix  E  and  G).  This  sectarian  design  appears  further,  in  the 
device  by  which  a  majority  of  those  voting  (two  being  present 
and  not  voting)  at  the  meeting  of  the  Board  in  June  1857, 
were  induced  to  request  the  resignation  of  Pres.  Blarichard. 
The  proposal  was,  that,  as  a  means  of  healing  the  difficulties  in 
the  college,  the  two  members  of  the  Faculty  (Pres,  B.  and 
Prof.  Gale)  who  were  at  variance,  should  both  resign  their 
professorships.  This  on  its  face  was  fair,  but  in  reality  was 
most  unequal ;  since  it  attempted  to  adjust  a  difficulty  without 
reference  to  its  merits ;  it  called  upon  Pres.  B.  in  the  prime  of 
life,  in  vigor  of  body  and  mind,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  most 
popular  and  successful  work  as  a  teacher,  to  resign  along  with 
Prof.  G.  who  was  aged  and  infirm,  so  as  to  have  required  an 
1* 


10 

assistant  or  substitute  during  two  previous  years ;  and  it  neces- 
sitated Pres.  B.  to  lose  his  seat  in  the  Board,  which  he  held 
only  ex-officioj  while  it  left  Prof.  G.  as  a  regular  Trustee  still  in 
his  place.  The  result  was,  that  by  the  change  of  votes  thus 
secured,  the  revolution  so  long  sought  was  accomplished,  and 
the  control  of  the  college  passed  from  those  who  administered 
it  as  a  union  institution,  to  those  who,  in  the  sense  explained 
above,  desire  to  make  it  sectarian. 

Since  that  evil  success,  the  progress  has  been  in  the  same 
direction.  Every  proposal  by  the  Congregationalists,  whether 
made  in  or  out  of  the  Board,  to  refer  the  whole  matter  at  issue 
to  an  arbitration  of  disinterested  men,  has  been  steadily  refused 
by  the  Presbyterians.  (See  Appendix  E  and  G).  Nay,  more; 
•when  an  assurance  was  given  that  the  Congregationalists 
would  unite  in  the  election  of  a  N.  S.  Presbyterian  President, 
and  would  consent  to  a  unanimous  vote  of  the  Board  for  some 
unsectarian  man  of  that  denomination,  (such  as  Rev.  Dr.  Asa 
D.  Smith)  who  would  command  the  respect  and  confidence  of 
both  parties,  the  offer  was  firmly  refused !  (See  Appendix  E) 
What  could  these  ihings  indicate,  but  a  determination  so  to 
use  their  present  power  as  to  perpetuate  a  strictly  Presbyterian 
and  sectarian  control,  and  to  secure  a  President  who  would 
sympathize  with  the  design'and  aid  in  its  execution  ?  Hence 
a  gentleman  was  finally  elected  by  them  to  that  post,  (by  a  vote 
of  thirteen  to  eleven  in  a  Board  of  twenty  four)  who  was  one 
of  the  most  objectionable  men  to  Congregationalists,  as  such, 
in  the  whole  West,  and  had  taken  an  active  part  in  this  very 
difficulty;  while  the  vacnnt  professorship  of  Prof.  Gale  was 
filled  by  a  N .  S.  Presbyterian  of  similar  spirit,  who  is  the  stated 
Clerk  of  the  very  Presbytery  whose  document  is  under  review. 

A  party  in  the  Board  of  Trust  acting  with  such  unity,  with 
such  persistence,  with  such  disregard  of  the  rules  of  order,  and 
with  so  much  of  the  appearance  of  a  faction  bent  upon  carrying 
their  ends  by  whatever  means,  must  have  some  strong  impel- 
ling motive  beyond  mere  personal  hostility  to  a  particular  offi- 
cer. When  we  place  the  facts  in  their  connections,  and  view 


11 

the  earlier  in  the  light  of  the  later,  how  can  we  resist  the  con- 
viction, that  there  has  been  a  settled  design  effectually  to 
break  down  the  power  of  Congregationalism  in  the  Board,  and 
to  give  the  institution  into  the  hands  of  Presbyterians  for  their 
distinctive  use  and  control  ? 

4.  This  design  to  Presbyterianize  the  college  was  plainly 
declared  by  President  Curtis  in  his  recent  inaugural  address. 
He  does,  indeed,  with  much  ingenuity  and  earnestness  repudi- 
ate the  term  "  sectarian,"  at  least  "  in  any  odious  sense,"  say- 
ing in  his  historical  sketch  of  the  college,  "It  was  not  designed 
to  be  sectarian."  "  It  was  not  a  sectarian  movement."  But  a 
careful  perusal  of  his  words  in  their  connection,  will  convince 
the  reader,  that  in  his  denial  he  uses  the  epithet  "  sectarian" 
only  in  its  most  intense  and  reproachful  meaning ;  and  that  so 
far  is  he  from  disavowing  a  purpose  to  denominationalize  the 
institution,  that  he  states  and  defends  it,  repudiating  only  any 
undue  "  intensity"  of  zeal  and  method,  such  as  would  make 
the  Trustees  and  Faculty  an  open  and  notorious  "  Propagan- 
da" of  Presbyterianism.  Thus  he  declares,  "  It  was  expected 
that,  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  prevailing  type  of  Christian 
sentiment  here  would  be  a  Calvinistic  faith  acting  in  and 
through  Presbyterian  organizations  *  *  *  Any  Christian 
man  who  is  fit  to  be  a  public  teacher  will  have  firmly  estab- 
lished and  well  defined  religious  sentiments ;  and  it  is  exceed- 
ingly important,  that  in  each  public  institution  there  should  be 
a  general  harmony  of  sentiment.  This  will  not  beget  an  in- 
tense denominationalism.  It  will  prevent  it  rather,  by  remov- 
ing the  elements  and  occasions  of  jealousy  and  strife  by  which 
sectarianism  is  nourished.  *  *  *  The  founders  of  Knox 
College  designed  it  to  be  a  Presbyterian  institution.  *  *  * 
Is  it  too  much  to  claim,  that  Knox  College,  with  its  indubita- 
ble parentage,  with  its  well  known  early  history  and  its  appro- 
priate and  significant  name,*  shall  be  permitted  to  be  held  and 

#  What  does  Dr.  Curtis  mean  by  deriving  an  argument  for  the 
Presbyterian  control  of  the  College,  from  its  name  ?  Does  he  suppose  it 


12 

worked  mainly  by  those  whom  that  name  befits  and  who  sym_ 
palhize  most  nearly  with  its  founders?"  (See  Appendix  F.) 
These  and  similar  expressions  and  arguments  clearly  reveal  a 
plan  to  make  Knox  College  a  denominational,  Presbyterian  in- 
stitution, and  to  prevent  what  Dr.  Curtis  terms  "  sectarian- 
ism," by  "  removing  the  elements  and  occasions  of  jealousy  and 
strife  by  which  it  is  nourished,"  or,  in  other  words,  by  remov- 
ing Congregationalists  from  the  Boards  of  Trust  and  Instruc- 
tion! 

5.  To  complete  the  proof  of  this  design,  it  needs  only  to  be 
added,  that  it  has  been  repeatedly  avowed  by  leading  men  of 
the  N.  S.  Presbyterian  body  within  a  few  months,  and  in  im- 
mediate connection  with  the  election  of  Dr.  Curtis  to  the 
Presidency,  and  his  acceptance  of  the  office.  (For  specific  ev- 
idence see  Appendix  G.)  It  is  no  secret,  that  during  the  ses- 
sions of  the  General  Assembly  in  Chicago,  careful  consultation 
was  had  with  the  most  prominent  men  as  to  the  course  to  be 
pursued  in  relation  to  Knox  College,  and  that  Dr.  Curtis  was 
urged  to  accept  the  Presidency,  at  whatever  peril  to  other  in- 
terests, in  order  to  insure  the  success  of  the  scheme  for  bring- 
ing it  under  distinctive  Presbyterian  control.  (See  Ap- 
pendix G.)  Thus,  plans  which  at  first  may  have  been  the  fruit 
of  personal  pique,  or  local  controversy,  have  been  interwoven 
with  the  ambitious  designs  of  a  sect,  and  have  obtained  the 
dignity  of  at  least  a  private  -endorsement  by  the  master  minds 
of  its  highest  tribunal. 

These  five  considerations  satisfy  the  Committee  that  the 
language  of  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox  on  this  first 
point,  is  fitted  to  mislead  the  public  mind,  and  to  convey  an 
idea  the  reverse  of  the  truth. 

II.  The  Presbytery  claim,  that  Knox  College  was  original- 
ly founded  by  and  for  N.  S.  Presbyterians.  Their  language 

was  named  after  John  Knox,  the  Presbyterian  hero  of  Scottish  memory  ? 
If  so,  he  betrays  remarkable  ignorance,  in  view  of  his  official  station  ; 
since  it  is  notorious  that  the  institution  was  named  from  the  county  se- 
lected for  the  location,  which  commemorates  the  worth  of  Gen.  Henry 
Knox. 


13 

is,  "We  have  in  our  possession  and  subject  to  our  control,  in- 
contestible  evidence  of  the  following  facts,  viz. :  that  the  idea 
of  founding  Knox  College  originated  among  Presbyterians — 
that  it  was  successfully  carried  into  execution  by  them  *  *  * 
that  it  was  for  more  than  ten  years  after  its  foundation  under 
their  entire  control,  and  that  its  founders  desired  and  expected 
that  the  Presbyterian  body  should  have  a  larger  share  in  the 
control  of  the  institution  than  any  other  body." 

It  would  have  greatly  relieved  the  labors  of  the  Committee, 
if,  in  response  to  their  invitation,  the  stated  Clerk  of  the  Pres- 
bytery had  brought  forward,  in  support  of  these  positive  affirm- 
ations, the  "  incontestible  evidence"  which  is  declared  to  be 
"  in  their  possession  and  .subject  to  their  control."  Why  it 
was  withheld,*  it  is  not  for  the  Committee  to  say ;  but  it  is 
singular,  that  the  abundant  testimony  which  did  come  before 
them,  publicly,  in  a  clear  and  explicit  form,  tended  to  establish 
a  very  different  proposition,  and  to  satisfy  the  Committee  that 
the  College  was  from  the  beginning  a  union  enterprise,  the  de- 
nominational question  not  having  been  even  mentioned  at  its 
origin.  This  may  be  argued  from  three  considerations. 

1.  At  the  date  of  the  founding  of  the  College  the  two  de- 
nominations acted  in  union  in  nearly  every  benevolent,  eccle- 
siastical and  educational  enterprise.  There  was  a  spirit  of 
liberality  and  concession  on  both  sides,  so  that  the  two  worked 
in  unbroken  harmony.  The  new  settlements  were  jointly  oc- 
cupied, and  the  strength  of  both  denominations  was  exerted 
to  build  up  the  same  churches,  schools,  colleges  and  theological 
seminaries.  In  this  very  State  they  had  a  few  years  before 
united  in  establishing  Illinois  College,  at  Jacksonville.  They 
contributed  together  to  aid  Foreign  Missions  through  the 
American  Board,  to  support  Home  Missions  through  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  to  educate  young 

*  It  may  be  well  to  state,  that  from  other  sources  the  Committee 
succeeded  in  obtaining  copies  of  the  documents  to  which  reference  is  here 
made,  and  find  that  they  prove  the  very  opposite  of  what  is  claimed  by 
the  Presbytery ! 


14 

men  for  the  ministry  through  the  American  Education  So- 
ciety.    Even  President  Curtis  in  his  "Inaugural  Address"  is 
compelled  to  use  language  such  as  this,  concerning  the  charac- 
ter of  the  time  when  the  college  was  founded :     "  It  was  com- 
menced and  carried  forward  during  the  palmy  period  of  co-ope- 
ration, when   Congregationalists    worked   harmoniously  with 
Presbyterians  in  the  work  of  education  and  missions,  home  and 
foreign.     We  were  all  full  of  love   and   union  then,   'neither 
said  any  one  that  aught  of  the  things  which  he  possessed  was 
his  own,  but  they  had  all  things  common.'" — (page  9)    "This 
witness  is  true,"  and  the  fact  so  fully  admitted,  and  corrobora- 
ted, as  we  shall  hereafter  see  by  the  perfect  silence  of  the  College 
Charter  and  Records  as  to  any  denominational  claims,  makes  it 
absurd  to  suppose  that  the  college  was  intended  to  be  character- 
istically Presbyterian.     Indeed,  Pres.  Curtis  directly  concedes 
the  fact  of  its  union  origin,  in  the  passage  where  he  speaks  of 
"  three  colleges,"  including  Beloit,  on  the  line,  as  having  "  been 
built  up  in  this  State  by  the  united  counsels  and  funds  of  New 
School  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists,"  and  argues  that 
"Beloit"  has  become  "strongly   Congregational,"  (for  a  refuta- 
tion of  which  assertion  see  President  Chapin's  letter  in  Ap- 
pendix W.),  and  "  Illinois"  is   "  trying  to  balance  itself  on  the 
pivot  of  neutrality,"  and  therefore  "  Knox"  ought  to  be  made 
over  to  the  N.  S .  Presbyterians !     It  was  indeed  founded  in  a 
day  of  union  and  common  enterprises,  by  men  who  came  from 
churches  partly  Presbyterian  and  partly  Congregational,  but 
all  or  nearly  all  united  on  "The  Plan  of  Union,"  and.  though 
it  may  be  natural  for  those  who  are  now  intensely  sectarian,  to 
imagine  that  they  were  always  such,  and  that  their  fathers  pos- 
sessed the  same  spirit,  the  facts  of  history  cannot  be  altered  to 
correspond  with  the  delusion. 

£.  The  same  fact  is  evident  from  historical  evidence  per- 
taining to  the  establishment  of  the  town  and  college,  by  which 
the  union  character  of  the  whole  enterprise  is  demonstrated  be- 
yond successful  contradiction.  There  is  some  dispute  concern- 


15 

ing  the  first  originator  of  the  plan,  as  that  period  was  fertile  in 
projected  colleges  at  the  West,  about  fifty  college  charters  hav- 
ing been  granted,  it  is  said,  by  the  Legislature  of  Illinois 
alone,  within  a  year  or  so  of  that  time,  and  the  proposal  to  es- 
tablish such  an  institution  being  a  frequent  subject  of  conver- 
sation among  a  circle  of  Christian  reformers  with  whom  Mr< 
Gale  was  then  associated.  Still  the  Committee  find  no  reason 
to  doubt  that  Mr.  Gale  gave  practical  shape  to  the  floating 
idea,  and  was  the  active  agent  in  securing  a  positive  attempt 
to  realize  it;  and,  as  a  knowledge  of  what  he  was  at  that  day, 
is  essential  to  an  understanding  of  the  spirit  and  meaning  of 
the  enterprise,  it  is  necessary  to  state  a  fe  w  facts  in  that  con- 
nection. One  acquainted  with  the  present  Rev.  Dr.  Gale, 
the  decided  Presbyterian  and  the  cautious  conservative,  would 
scarcely  recognize  the  personal  identity  between  him  and  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Gale  who  was  the  leading  spirit  of  the  scheme  under 
consideration.  In  1835  Mr.  Gale  was  known  as  a  Presbyte- 
rian minister  with  strong  Congregational  sympathies,  belonging 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  and  the  Synod  of  Utica,  which 
were  partly  composed  of  Congregational  churches  connected  with 
Presbytery  on  the  "Plan  of  Union,"  by  reason  of  which  they 
were  in  1837  exscinded  by  the  General  Assembly  from  the 
Presbyterian  church.  He  was,  moreover,  of  the  class  of  min- 
isters in  New  York  State,  technically  known  at  that  time  as 
"revivalists,"  being  a  personal  friend  and  coadjutor  of  Rev.  C. 
G.  Finney.  He  was  also  a  professor  in  "Oneida  Institute," 
(now  passed  into  other  hands,  but  formerly  under  the  Presiden- 
cy of  Rev.  Beriah  Green,  and  well  known  as  a  radically  reforma- 
tory institution,)  and  was  an  earnest  reformer,  taking  bold  and 
decided  ground  on  the  temperance,  Sabbath,  manual  labor  and 
anti-slavery  questions,  at  a  time  when  by  so  doing  ministers 
lost  caste  among  their  brethren.  fSee  Appendix  J  and  L .) 
He  conceived  the  plan  of  establishing  in  the  "far  West"  a  re- 
formatory college  on  a  liberal  denominational  basis,  so  that 
Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians  of  progressive  sentiments 
might  unite  in  it.  It  was  to  be  done  by  purchasing  a  town- 


16 

ship  of  land  at  government  price,  reserving  grounds  for  college 
buildings  and  other  public  uses,  and  selling  the  remainder  at  an 
average  of  five  dollars  per  acre  (or  fourfold  the  cost)  to  those 
who,  for  the  sake  of  establishing  the  college,  would  purchase 
there  rather  than  at  a  cheaper  rate  elsewhere.  (See  Appen- 
dix I.)  An  association  was  formed  in  1835  to  carry  out  the 
plan,  embracing  both  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists, 
(see  Appendix  I,  J  and  P.,)  and  Mr.  Gale  undertook  to  pro- 
cure a  colony  of  settlers.  A  subscription  of  about  $28,000 
was  raised ;  mostly,  as  Mr.  Gale  alleges,  among  Presbyterians ; 
though  the  fact,  if  so,  is  of  no  consequence,  since  the  subscrip- 
tion, as  a  whole,  fell  through,  and  was  never  but  in  very  small 
part  collected.  (For  full  proof  of  this  fact  see  Appendix  H .) 
An  exploring  committee  of  three  visited  the  West,  but,  through 
illness  and  other  causes,  accomplished  nothing  and  reported  no 
location,  so  that  the  enterprise  was  well  nigh  abandoned.  Nev- 
ertheless, shortly  after  it  was  concluded  to  renew  the  effort, 
and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  select  a  location  and  pur- 
chase the  land.  This  committee  consisted  of  Sylvanus  Ferris, 
Neheraiah  West,  Thomas  Simmons  and  (Rev.)  Geo.  W.  Gale, 
to  whom  was  added  on  the  way  (in  place  of  G.  W.  Gale)  Sam- 
uel Tompkins.  ('See  Appendix  I,  J  and  K ;  also  History  of 
the  town  and  college,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Ga.le,  page  7".)*  Two  of 

*  Though  this  "History,"  written  prior  to  any  controversy,  has 
been  circulated  as  undisputed  authority  for  thirteen  years,  Mr.  Gale  has 
recently  attempted  to  discredit  his  own  work,  because  it  makes  against  his 
new  and  changed  position.  He  now  says,  that  it  was  only  a  loose,  popu- 
lar history,  written  without  the  necessary  documents,  and  was  never  in- 
tended to  be  strictly  accurate;  and,  moreover,  that  Mr.  Blanchard  had  the 
power  given  him  to  revise  and  alter  it  in  the  press  at  Cincinnati !  To 
which  we  reply:  (1.)  That  this  late  attempt  to  discredit  his  work  is,  in 
the  circumstances,  very  suspicious.  (2.)  That  the  History  by  its  lists  of 
names,  numbers,  dates,  &c.,  shows  that  permanent  documents  must  have 
been  freely  consulted.  (3.)  That  its  assertions  are  strictly  corroborated 
by  independent  and  original  testimony.  (4.)  That  on  page  10  occur 
these  words  :  "  This  sketch,  designed  for  the  double  purpose  of  public  in- 
formation and  a  document  for  reference,  is  necessarily  minute."  (5.)  That 
Mr.  Blanchard  was  only  authorized  to  correct  orthographical  and  rhetori- 
cal imperfections;  that  he  did  nothing  more  nor  could  have  done,  since  h 
was  a  stranger  to  the  facts,  having  only  visited  Galesburgh  for  a  few  days 
shortly  before,  and  not  then  having  any  connection  with  the  college. 
(See  Appendix  Q.)  The  pretended  and  only  instance  by  way  of  illus- 


17 

these  (Simmons  and  Tompkins)  were  Congregationalists,  and 
a  third  (Ferris)  had  been  such  for  the  principal  portion  of  his 
religious  life.  (See  Appendix  J.)  This  Committee  discharged 
their  duty  by  proceeding  to  Illinois  and  purchasing  the  site 
where  Galesburg  and  the  college  now  stand.  Mr.  Gale,  how- 
ever, did  not  participate  in  this,  owing  to  a  detention  at  De- 
troit through  illness,  his  place,  as  before  stated  and  as  ac- 
knowledged by  himself  in  his  History,  page  7,  having  been 
filled  by  Mr.  Tompkins.  The  money,  to  a  small  extent,  was  vol- 
untarily contributed  by  some  of  the  original  subscribers,  but 
was  chiefly  borrowed  at  bank,  (Gale's  History,  pp.  5  and  7; 
also  Dr.  Gale's  letters  in  Galesburg  Democrat,  Aug.  19,  1857, 
and  in  Congregational  Herald,  July  19,  1858,)  and  was  subse- 
quently repaid  from  the  sales  of  farms  and  town  lands  "to 
emigrants  from  New  York,  Vermont  and  Maine,  most  of  the 
Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists  who  had  heard  of  and 
wished  to  join  the  enterprise."  (Gale's  History,  p.  1 1 ;  com- 
pare also  page  3,  and  for  large  purchases  by  Congregational- 
ists, see  Gale's  letter  in  Galesburg  Democrat,  Aug.  19,  1857, 
bottom  of  5th  column.)  It  is  claimed  that  part  of  these  sales 
were  made  in  the  State  of  New  York,  on  the  return  of  the 
purchasing  Committee,  to  the  original  association,  and  that 
nearly  all  the  purchasers  were  Presbyterians.  For  the  facts 
on  this  point  and  a  correction  of  gross  errors  of  calculation,  see 
Appendix  at  the  close  of  the  matter  under  letter  H.  The  col- 
lege was  provisionally  organized,  under  the  name  of  "  Prairie 
College,"  by  the  original  association  at  Whitesboro,  N.  Y., 
January,  1836,  with  a  Board  of  Trust  embracing  Messrs.  Sim- 
mons and  Tompkins,  who  had  never  been  Presbyterians  insen- 

tration  of  such  a  change,  given  by  Dr.  Gale,  through  another,  (Congrega- 
tional Herald,  Sept.  16, 1858)  in  which  he  professes  to  quote  from  the  "orig- 
inal manuscript,"  is  not  in  point,  and  is  quite  deceptive;  for,  the  original 
manuscript,  from  which  the  History  was  printed  at  Cincinnati,  is  not  in 
existence,  not  having  been  preserved  at  the  time,  and  Dr.  Gale's  quotation 
is  merely  from  his  own  first  or  rough  draft,  from  which  he  afterwards 
copied  and  prepared  the  manuscript  which  was  sent  to  Cincinnati  for  the 
printed  History.  Moreover,  the  change  pointed  out  does  not  affect  the 
sense  so  as  to  alter  its  application  to  the  present  controversy.  Extracts 
from  this  "  History"  will  be  found  in  Appendix  I. 


IS 

timent  or  church  relations,  and  at  the  time  were  members  of 
Congregational  churches  in  New  York  State,  there  being  no 
church  at  Galesburg  till  the  Spring  of  1837.  (See  Gale's 
History,  p.  10,  and  also  Appendix  J.)  Another  of  these 
Trustees  was  Mr.  Isaac  Mills,  also  a  Congregationalist,  though 
inaccurately  recorded  as  having  come  from  a  Presbyterian 
church;  for  proof  of  which,  see  Appendix  N.,  statement  of 
Col.  Chauncey  Adams.  A  charter,  free  from  all  denomi- 
national claims  or  allusions,  was  obtained,  with  the  name_ 
of  "  Knox  Manual  Labor"  College,  from  the  Legislature  of 
Illinois,  one  year  later.  From  the  first  the  appeal  wns  made 
to  settlers  by  Mr.  Gale  and  others,  to  come  and  buy  lands  at 
five  dollars  an  acre,  of  the  college,  in  order  to  build  it  up,  in- 
stead of  going  a  mile  or  two  beyond  and  buying  at  govern- 
ment price ;  and  Congregationalists  were  particularly  urged  to 
engage  in  the  enterprise,  because  it  was  not  to  be  denomina- 
tional but  united  and  liberal;  and  by  these  very  representations 
the  great  body  of  the  early  settlers,  who  actually  established 
the  town  and  college,  were  induced  to  participate  in  the  scheme. 
(Let  every  reader  consult  Appendix  J  and  L .)  The  Com- 
mittee are  fully  persuaded  that  no  reasonable  doubt  can  be  en- 
tertained that  the  town  and  college  were  established  as  a  union 
enterprise. 

3.  Another  source  of  proof  on  this  point  lies  in  the  pecu- 
liar character  of  the  church  which  was  established  by  the  first 
settlers,  and  which  conlained  all  the  original  trustees.  The 
facts  relating  to  this  matter  are  these : 

(1.)  The  material  of  the  church  was  of  mixed  character- 
That  the  members  were  previously  partly  Presbyterian  and  part- 
ly Congregational,  is  undeniable.  (See  Appendix  M.)  On  this 
question  Mr.  Gale's  "  History"  contains  the  following  state- 
ment (p.  4.) :  "  Early  the  ensuing  Spring,  after  much  consul- 
tation and  prayer,  a  Presbyterian  church  was  formed,  consist- 
ing of  82  members:  a  part  were  fruits  of  the  late  revival,  but 
the  most  united  by  certificate.  They  were  Presbyterians  and 
Congregationalists  in  nearly  equal  numbers;  but  both  parties 


19 

were  resolved  to  yield  their  predilections  rather  than  divide." 
Owing  to  the  operation  of  the  "  Plan  of  Union,"  by  which 
Congregational  churches  became  connected  to  a  certain  extent 
with  the  Presbytery,  and  thus  were  often  popularly  called 
"  Presbyterian,"  even  by  their  own  members,  and  also  owing 
to  the  fact  that  Congregationalists  often  join  Presbyterian 
churches,  and  on  removal  take  letters  from  them,  it  is  difficult 
to  trace  the  actual  denominational  preferences  of  the  early  con- 
stituent members.  Suffice  it  that  both  denominations  were 
undoubtedly  represented,  as  all  accounts  admit,  and  "in 
nearly  equal  numbers"  as  to  their  personal  views,  whatever 
may  have  been  their  last  church  connections,  according  to  Mr- 
Gale's  History,  which  is  corroborated  by  the  facts  next  to  be 
mentioned. 

(2.)  The  name  adopted  was  Presbyterian.  Let  the  under- 
standing among  the  members ,  and  the  internal  organization 
and  rules  be  what  they  might,  the  name  would  naturally  be 
denominational,  and  the  reason  why  the  name  Presbyterian 
was  adopted  in  this  case,  is  rendered  clear  b/  living  testimony. 
(See  Appendix  J.)  Dr.  Gale  and  his  party  lay  great  stress  on 
the  name  as  denoting  the  distinctive  denominational  character 
of  the  whole  enterprise  from  the  beginning.  But  a  reference 
to  the  testimony  will  show,  that  when  the  Christian  settlers 
were  assembled  for  the  organization  of  a  church,  Mr.  Samuel 
Tompkins,  a  Congregation alist,  and  one  of  the  locating  and 
purchasing  Committee,  moved  that  the  question,  whether  the 
church  should  be  Congregational  or  Presbyterian,  should  be 
decided  by  the  majority  vote  of  all  the  members,  male  and  fe- 
male. This  was  certainly  a  singular  motion,  and  most  unlike- 
ly to  be  made,  if  it  was  understood  from  the  first,  that  it  was 
purely  a  Presbyterian  enterprise,  or  even  if  the  Presbyterian  el- 
ement was  largely  predominant.  Mr.  Gale,  thereupon,  made  an 
appeal  in  which,  instead  of  claiming  the  enterprise  as  of  course 
Presbyterian,  he  argued  that  it  would  be  more  expedient  to 
take  that  name,  because  it  was  in  better  odor  at  the  East,  and 
would  enable  them  to  obtain  funds  more  easily.  At  the  same 


20 

time  he  indicated  his  own  slight  attachment  to  Presbyterian- 
ism,  and  especially  to  the  General  Assembly,  preferring  to  have 
nothing  above  the  Presbytery ;  a  fact  further  indicated  by  his 
often  quoting  with  approbation  about  that  time,  the  noted  re- 
mark made  by  Mr.  Finney  with  reference  to  the  yearly  conten- 
tion in  the  General  Assembly,  that  "  Hell  had  a  jubilee  when- 
ever the  General  Assembly  met."  He  also  remarked,  that 
"  Brother  Finney  had  left  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  that  he 
was  not  himself  prepared  for  that  yet,  but  did  not  know  how 
soon  he  might  be."  (See  Appendix  J,  and  compare  fact  con- 
cerning delegates  to  the  General  Assembly,  stated  on  page  1 1 
of  Gale's  History,  and  cited  in  Appendix  I.)  By  such  rep- 
resentations the  members  were  induced  to  waive  their  objec- 
tions, and  to  assume  the  name  of  a  Presbyterian  church . 

(3.)  But  the  internal  arrangements  were  conformed  to  Con- 
gregational views  and  customs  in  an  important  respect ;  for  it 
was  decided  at  the  organization,  that  all  members  should  be 
admitted  by  direct  vote  of  the  church ;  while,  to  keep  up  the 
Presbyterian  appearance  on  the  book  of  Records,  which  was  to 
be  sent  up  to  Presbytery  for  examination,  it  was  further  ar- 
ranged, that  a  majority  of  the  session  or  elders  should  be  in 
the  vote.  This  Congregational  practice  was  commenced  on 
the  spot  by  the  examination  and  reception  of  18  members  by 
profession,  and  there  were  no  elders  elected  for  two  months. 
The  early  records  were  kept  by  a  Presbyterian,  who,  writing 
for  the  eye  of  Presbytery,  simply  recorded  the  admissions  as 
by  "  vote  of  session ;"  but  his  successor  was  more  accurate,  and 
recorded  them  as  by  "  vote  of  church  and  session,"  which  ac- 
cords with  Mr.  Gale's  statement  in  his  printed  "  Church  Man- 
ual/' in  which  he  says,  (p.  20)  "  It  had  always  been  custom- 
ary to  examine  persons  applying  for  admission,  in  the  presence 
of  the  church,  and  for  them  by  vote  to  express  their  satisfac- 
tion  with  the  candidate."  (See  Appendix  J  and  P.)  Yet  in 
his  letter  in  the  Congregational  Herald,  July  28, 1858,  Dr.  Gale 
says,  "  The  elders  held  the  keys  as  firmly  as  any  other  session," 


21 

and.  in  the  Galeslurg  Democrat,  Aug.  19,  1857,  declares,  that 
they  organized  "  a  church  which  was  strictly  Presbyterian ." 

(4.)  The  subsequent  history  of  the  church  very  plainly 
shows  the  strong  Congregational  spirit  and  element.  In  1845 
a  church  edifice  was  erecting,  but  after  the  building  was  framed 
and  ready  to  be  raised,  the  work  was  brought  to  a  stand  for  a 
week,  because  the  Congregationalists  complained  that  the 
records  had  not  been  accurately  kept,  and  that  the  concessions 
made  to  them  at  the  beginning  were  not  recorded,  and  might 
be  after  a  while  denied  or  ignored,  and  they  wished  the  whole 
matter  definitely  arranged.  This  was  unanimously  done  by 
what  is  known  as  "  The  Compromise,"  which  yet  more  largely 
modified,  and,  in  the  case  of  the  Congregational  mem- 
bers, nullified,  the  Presbyterianism  of  the  government,  and  con- 
nected the  church  with  the  Congregational  Association  as  well 
as  the  Presbytery.  (The  Appendix  N,  0  and  P.)  It  is  not 
surprising  that  on  one  occasion  the  Presbytery  complained 
that  the  Records  were  those  of  a  Congregational  church! 

Another  fact  will  show  the  weakness  of  Presbyterianism  in 
the  church  and  the  once  conciliatory  spirit  of  Mr  Gale.  When 
Mr.  Julius  De  Long  was  elected  an  elder,  he  objected  that  he 
could  not  conscientiously  answer,  as  required  by  the  Pres.  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  that  he  "  approved  of  the  Government  and 
Discipline  of  the  Pres.  Church  in  these  United  States;"  where- 
upon Rev.  Mr.  Gale  changed  the  phraseology,  and  publicly  put 
the  question  thus:  "Do  you  approve  of  the  form  of  Presbyte- 
rian government  as  adopted  by  this  Church  ?"  Mr.  De  Long  is 
an  "  advisory  member"  of  this  Committee  and  testifies  to  this 
effect,  and  is  corroborated  in  his  positive  memory  or  knowledge 
by  Rev.  L.  H.  Parker,  who  was  acting  as  pastor  of  the  Church 
at  the  time  ancf  was  present,  but  who,  as  a  Congregational ist 
and  not  belonging  to  Presbytery,  took  no  part  in  the  ordina- 
tion. (See  Appendix  O). 

In  April  1853,  the  church,  weary  of  waiting'for  the  purifica- 
tion of  the  N.  S.  Presbyterian  body  from  slavery,  and  true  to 


22 

the  reformatory  principles  and  purposes  of  those  who  founded 
it,  voted  to  send  thereafter  no  delegate  to  Presbytery  till  it 
was  purged  from  connection  with  that  sin.  (See  Appendix  N). 
In  October  1855,  the  church  definitely  withdrew  from  Presby- 
tery by  a  unanimous  vote,  and  in  October  1856,  it  dropped  the 
title  "Presbyterian"  from  its  name  with  similar  unanimity. 

Thus  the  entire  history  of  the  Church  concurs  with  the  other 
facts  named,  to  prove  that  the  enterprise  of  colony  and  college 
was  of  a  union  nature. 

Ill .  The  Presbytery  claim  that  the  college  has  been  car- 
ried on  and  endowed  almost  entirely  by  Presbyterian  money. 
Their  language  is  as  follows :  "  We  have  in  our  possession  and 
subject  to  our  control,  incontestible  evidence  of  the  following 
facts :  viz.,  that  the  idea  of  founding  Knox  College  originated 
among  Presbyterians,  that  it  was  successfully  carried  into  exe- 
cution by  them ;  that  almost  the  whole  amount  of  the  prop- 
erty, by  means  of  which  the  college  has  been  carried  on 
successfully  for  twenty  years,  and  which  now  constitutes  its 
large  endowment,  was  given  by  them,  <fcc."  In  a  similar 
strain,  Dr.  Gale  states,  (Galesburg  Free  Democrat  Aug.  19, 
1857,)  "  As  to  the  sources  of  the  funds,  documents  still  in  my 
possession  show,  that  of  the  money  invested  in  the  lands  that 
constituted  the  basis  of  the  endowments,*  (now  from  three  to 
four  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  amount,)  only  about  one- 
thirtieth  part  was  furnished  by  members  of  the  Congregational 
church,*while  about  twenty-nine  thirtieths  were  furnished  by 
Presbyterians."  The  italics  are  by  Dr.  Gale.  So  also,  Prof. 
Losey  says,  (Galesburg  City  News  July  2,  1858,)  "  If  ever  an 
enterprise  was  projected  and  carried  forward  to  its  accomplish- 
ment by  the  counsels  and  funds  of  a  single  denomination,  this 
is  preeminently  that  enterprise." 

*  It  will  be  remembered,  however,  that,  at  best,  the  purchase  of  lands 
furnished  but  a  part  of  the  funds  which  have  sustained  the  college,  and 
that  the  Congregationalists  yave  over  $40,000  in  pure  donations,  in  which 
form  Presbj-terians  gave  next  to  nothing.  The  present  endowment  of  the 
college  is  almost  entirely  the  proceeds  of  the  gift  of  Hon.  Charles  Phelps, 
a  Congregationalism 


23 

As  very  "different  claims  are  urged  by  others  who  also  profess 
to  have  investigated  the  whole  subject,  the  Committee  found 
it  necessary  to  ascertain  the  ground  on  which  such  bold  and 
unqualified  statements  were  put  forth  by  our  Presbyterian 
brethren.  As  nearly  as  we  can  learn,  the  process  by  which 
they  arrive  at  these  exclusive  pretensions,  is  as  follows: 

(1.)  They  refer  to  the  original  subscription  of  about 
$28,000,  made  principally  by  Presbyterians,  as  Dr.  Gale 
claims,  (though  he  gives  no  names  and  furnishes  no  opportu- 
nity to  test  his  assertion,)  as  though  that  sum  had  been  ac- 
tually collected  and  paid  into  the  treasury ;  though,  in  fact,  the 
subscription,  as  such,  was  abandoned,  and  but  a  fraction  of  the 
actual  endowment  was  ever  contributed  by  the  original  sub- 
scribers. (See  Appendix  H.) 

(2.)  They  claim  as  a  Presbyterian  purchaser  or  donor, 
every  person  who  came  last  from  a  Presbyterian  church ;  though 
his  personal  sentiments  and  preferences  may  have  been  Con- 
gregational, and  may  be  so  at  the  present  time ;  though  his 
connection  for  a  time  with  a  Presbyterian  church  may  have 
been  for  mere  reasons  of  local  necessity  or  convenience ;  and 
though  the  church  itself  may  have  been  really  Congregational,* 
and  only  nominally  Presbyterian,  on  the  "  Plan  of  Union" 
principle. 

(3.)  And  then,  as  they  claim  that  the  original  church  in 
Galesbnrg  was  strictly  Presbyterian,  they  seem  to  regard 
membership  in  that  church  as  sufficient  proof  of  the  denomina- 
tional character  of  donors — with  how  little  reason,  facts  pre- 
viously adduced  have  demonstrated. 

(4.)  And  finally,  they  seem  to  call  all  donors  Presbyterians 
who  are  not  Congregationalists;  for  they  declare  that  Presbyte- 
rians gave  "  about  twenty-nine -thirtieths,"  and  Congregation- 

#  The  New  School  General  Assembly  reports  546  churches  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  of  which  125  are  Congregational  in  their  internal  pol- 
ity, having  only  a  nominal  connection  with  Presbytery.  These  instances 
were  even  more  numerous  at  the  time  Galesburg  was  founded,  with  its  col- 
lege, by  emigrants  from  the  section  of  New  York  where  this  "  Plan  of 
Uiiion"  was  common. 


24 

alists  "one-thirtieth;"  and  ordinary   arithmetics   only  allow 
thirty-thirtieths  in  a  whole  number. 

In  the  calculations  of  this  Committee  no  man  (with  a  single 
exception,  and  he  a  supporter  of  a.  Congregational  Church  of 
which  his  wife  is  a  member)  is  set  down  as  a  Congregational- 
ist,  who,*if  living,  does  not  authorize'such  a  use  of  his  name ; 
or  with  reference  to  whom,  if  dead,  there  is  not  explicit  testi- 
mony that  such  were  his  actual  sentiments  and  preferences; 
while  all  are  set  down  as  Presbyterians,  who  are  known  or  be- 
lieved to  have  been  such.  Moreover,  the  list  of  names  was  read 
at  the  first  meeting  of  the  Committee,  before  an  audience  of 
several  hundred  of  the  citizens  of  Galesburg,  embracing  men  of 
both  parties  and  acquainted  with  the  facts ;  and  the  request 
was  urgently  made  and  repeated  by  the  Chairman  and  by  other 
members  of  the  Committee,  that  corrections  should  be  suggest- 
ed by  any  person  present ;  but  none  were  offered.  Pains  have 
been  taken  also  to  obtain  a  carefully  drawn  plan  of  all  the 
property  involved,  with  its  divisions  by  sale,  and  also  certified 
abstracts  from  the  county  records  of  all  the  sales  of  the  farm 
lands  for  the  years  during  which  the  establishment  and  en- 
dowment of  the  college  was  in  progress,  so  that  it  might  be 
accurately  known  who  came  there  and  purchased  the  original 
lands,  with  scholarships  attached,  at  a  high  rate,  for  the  express 
purpose  of  founding  the  college.  They  were  the  men  who 
bought  of  the  association  at  five  dollars  per  acre,  for  colle- 
giate purposes,  and  not  for  speculation,  when  they  could  have 
bought  near  by  for  1.25  per  acre.  The  speculators  among 
the  early  settlers,  if  any  there  were,  were  Rev.  Mr.  Gale  and 
Sylvanus  Ferris,  Esq*,  who  bought,  on  their  own  private 
account,  from  the  Government,  at  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per 
acre,  large  tracts  lying  immediately  by  the  side  of  the  colle- 
giate lands.  Of  course  recent  comers  who  have  purchased  from 
other  parties,  or  have  bought  of  the  college  since  it  has  been 
endowed,  and  because  the  rapid  growth  of  the  place  had 
attracted  them  there  for  business  purposes,  are  not  included  by 


25 

the  Committee  on  either  side  of  the  calculation.  The  remarks 
which  have  been  thrown  out  sarcastically  by  Dr.  Gale  and  others 
respecting  rights  that  Universalists  may  claim  in  the  college, 
because  vriihin  a  feio  years  they  have  bought  considerable 
land  from  the  college  and  established  "  Lombard  University," 
are  unworthy  of  candid  men,  and  need  no  reply. 

The  fractional  portion  of  the  original  subscription  which  was 
voluntarily  paid  in,  was  given  for  the  most  part  by  those  who 
received  back  the  same  in  land  from  the  Association  at  the 
assessed  value  at  the  time  when  those  subscribers  and  others 
made  a  purchase,  after  the  location;  (See  Gale's  letter  in 
Galesburg  Democrat,  Aug.  19,  1857)  and  therefore  in  the 
enumeration  of  the  sources  of  the  collegiate  funds,  we  need  not 
begin  back  of  the  sale  of  the  farm  lands  (with  eighty  scholar- 
ships attached,  running  for  twenty-five  years)  which  were  set 
apart  for  that  purpose. 

1.  By  the  method  explained  above,   the  Committee  have 
ascertained,  that  by  the  purchase  of  the  farm  lands,  Congrega- 
tionalists  paid  into  the  treasury  of  the  college  $25,050,  while 
Presbyterians  paid  in    $7,400.    See  Appendix  R,  which  con- 
tains also  the  sums  paid  by  men  not  belonging  to  either  side. 
To  this  part  of  the  Appendix,  the  Committee  would  call  the 
patient  attention  of  every  reader. 

2.  Donations  to  the  amount  of  $2,000  or  $3,000  appear  to 
have  been  obtained  in  England  and  at  the  East  from  miscel- 
laneous donors,  in  the  i.*ay  of  books,  apparatus  and  money.  A 
large  part  of  this  is  known  to  have  come  from  Congregation^ 
alists,  but  the  proportion  from  either  denomination  cannot  now 
be  ascertained,   nor  does  the  whole  sum   affect  the  general 
result.    (See  Gale's  History  p.  13,  and  Gale's  Letter  in  Gales- 
burg  Democrat,  Aug.  19,  1857.) 

3.  The  citizens  of  Galesburg  and  vicinity  have  subscribed 
$3,000,  or  more,  towards  the  erection  of  the  college  buildings, 
but  the  sources  have  been  of  a  mixed  denominational  character, 
though  preponderatingly  Congregational. 

4.  The  college  has  been  very  materially  aided  by  two  distant 

2 


26 

donors  of  liberal  spirit.  Indeed,  had  it  not  been  for  timely 
aid  derived  from  this  source  and  from  that  to  be  next  men- 
tioned, all  the  previous  endowments  and  property  would  have 
been  entirely  consumed  in  current  expenses,  and  the  very  life 
of  the  institution  endangered. 

Among  these  must  first  be  mentioned  Mr.  J.  P.  Williston  of 
Northampton,  Mass,  who,  in  a  dark  and  trying  hour,  came 
forward,  and  by  a  succession  of  annual  donations  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  President  and  other  purposes,  gave  to  the  college 
in  money  $10,000.  And  this  gift,  be  it  remembered,  came  in 
circumstances  which  rendered  it  of  more  value  to  the  interests 
of  the  institution  than  a  gift  of  ten  times  that  amount  would 
be  at  the  present  time.  Mr.  Williston  is  a  Congregationalist, 
being  a  deacon  of  the  First  Congregational  church  of 
Northampton,  Mass.,  and  was  induced  to  make  this  seasonable 
and  liberal  donation  by  his  personal  interest  in  President 
Blanchard,  and  sympathy  with  his  views  of  reform  and  church 
polity,  supposing  the  institution  to  be  so  far  undenominational 
in  its  character  as  to  be  no  less  Congregational  than  Presbyte- 
rian. (See  Appendix  Q  and  S.) 

We  are  next  called  to  consider  the  munificent  gift  of  the 
late  Hon.  Charles  Phelps,  who  gave  to  the  college  eighteen 
quarter  sections  of  laud  in  Illinois,  estimated  to  be  worth,  at 
the  time,  $30,000,  and  now  constituting  the  principal  part  of 
the  college  endowment  of  over  $300,000.  Mr.  Phelps  became 
interested  in  the  college  through  Pres.  Blanchard,  with  whom 
he  was  distantly  connected  by  marriage,  and  whose  antislavery 
views  he  warmly  approved ;  as  will  be  perceived  by  the  fact 
that  his  letter  announcing  the  gift  specifies  that  the  proceeds 
shall  be  appropriated  to  sustain  a  professorship  "which  shall 
teach  an  antislavery  morality."  Mr.  Phelps  was  in  sentiment 
a  Congregationalist,  (being  one  of  three  who  together  built  an 
edifice  for  a  Congregational  Church  in  Vermont)  though  not  a 
church  member,  and  for  the  larger  part  of  his  life  attended  the 
Congregational  church.  By  reason  of  a  local  difficulty  he 
left  and  went  to  the  Baptist  church,  with  which  his  wife  subse- 


27 

quently  united,  and  in  that  denomination  he  continued  to 
worship  at  the  East  and  after  his  removal  to  the  West, 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  (See  Appendix  P). 

Aud  here  it  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  notice  the  change 
which  has  come  over  the  spirit  of  the  college  in  the  effort  to 
Presbyterianize  it,  furnishing  a  curious  parallel  with  a  similar 
change  in  the  N".  S.  Presbyterian  body,    Its  founders,  including 
Mr.   Gale,  were  earnest  abolitionists  and  reformers,  and  the 
college  was  intended  to  promote  reformatory   views.      This 
remained  its  spirit  for  years,  so  that  on  Mr.  Blanchard's  acces- 
sion to  the  Presidency,  a  literary  Address,  previously  delivered 
by  him,  on  the  duty  of  the  conductors  of  public  educational 
institutions  to  take  an  interest  in  questions  of  reform,    was 
published  and  bound  up  in  the  same  covers  with  Prof.  Gale's 
"  History,"  in  order,- as  it  is  there  stated,  "  to  inform  the  friends 
and  patrons  of  Knox  College,  what  views  and  principles  are  to 
guide  its  President  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties."  (For  extracts 
see  Appendix  U).    And  because  this  was  the  known  character 
of  the  college,  the  noble  donation  of  Mr.  Phelps  was  made  to 
it,  as  we  have  seen.      But  the  progress  of  distinctive  Presbyte- 
rianism  in  the  college  has  been  marked  pari  passu  by  a  con- 
servative, pro-slavery  and  anti-reformatory  spirit.  This  was  first 
indicated  in  1851,  when  the  N.  S.  Presbyterians  moved  for  a 
distinct  Theological  Seminary  in    the   North-West,  in  which 
Congregationalists  should  have  no  share,    and  Prof.   Gale,  as 
Chairman  of  a  Committee,  submitted  a  plan  by  which  the 
slaveholding  Presbyteries  of  Missouri  and  Arkansas  (the  latter 
included  in  the  Synod  of  Missouri)  could  each  appoint  a  Director 
(See  Appendix  T) ;  and  he  used  his  influence  (happily  in  vain) 
to  have  the  Seminary  located  at  Galesburg,  and  to  bestow  upon 
it  valuable  land  originally  set  apart  by  the  antislavery  founders 
of  Knox  College  for  theological  purposes.     And  now,  to  make 
the  apostacy  from  the  original  design  of  the  college  still  more 
evident,  the  recent  "Inaugural  Address"  of  Pres.  Curtis  contains 
a  page  and  a  half  of  sophistical  reasoning  to  prove  that  teachers 
in  colleges,   as  such,  should    not   meddle    with   controverted 


28 

questions  of  reform !  (See  Appendix  U).     But  to  return  to  the 
subject  of  funds : 

(5 .)  The  college  received  timely  aid  in  the  day  of  its  distress, 
from  the  "  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Collegiate  and  Theo- 
logical Education  at  the  West,"  amounting  in  all,  according  to 
the  books  of  the  college  treasurer,  to  $3,472.23.*  The  So- 
ciety is  a  union  of  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists,  and 
the  only  way  to  ascertain  the  denominational  source  of  the 
money  given  is,  to  examine  the  annual  reports  of  the  treasurer, 
and  trace  the  separate  donations  to  their  donors,  which  is  easily 
done.  Such  a  scrutiny  shows,  that  less  than  one-quarter  of 
the  income  of  the  Society  \vas  derived  from  the  Presbyterians, 
and  justifies  the  following  division  of  the  appropriations  to 
Knox  College,  according  to  the  general  proportion  of  all  the 
donations : 

From  Congregational  sources,     -     -     -     $2,604.18 
From  Presbyterian  sources,  -     -     -     -     -       868.05 

Total, $3,472.23 

The  Committee  may  surely  be  pardoned  for  suggesting,  in 
this  connection,  that  if  union  institutions  aided  by  a  union  So- 
ciety, three-fourths  of  whose  income  is  derived  from  Congre- 
gational sources,  are  to  be  perverted  to  sectarian  ownership  and 
use,  after  attaining  to  a  self-supporting  position,  it  will  become 
a  matter  of  simple  necessity  and  self-respect  for  Eastern  Con- 
gregationalists to  withdraw  from  the  Society  referred  to,  to 
cease  to  act  upon  the  co-operative  plan  in  this  matter,  and  to 

There  is  an  apparent  discrepancy  with  regard  to  the  amount  paid  to 
the  college  by  the  Society.  A  letter  from  the  Secretary,  Rev.  Theron  Bald- 
win, says,  "  The  college  was  aided  by  the  Society  from  1846  to  1855,  and 
the  amount  paid  to  it,  in  all  ways,  was  $5,864.88."  What  facts  are  covered 
by  the  expression,  "in  all  ways,"  we  do  not  know.  It  m~ay  be  that  Mr. 
Baldwin  has  taken  the  sums  appropriated  by  the  Society  to  Knox  College, 
to  be  paid  if  the  funds  allowed,  but  which  were  in  fact  only  paid  in  part; 
•while  the  college  books  show  the  amount  actually  received  in  cash.  Or 
Mr.  Baldwin  may  have  charged  to  the  college  all  funds  collected  by  it  at 
the  East,  as  though  they  passed  through  the  Society's  treasury — the  money 
being  gathered  from  the  Society's  field  of  operations.  We  have  based  our 
calculations  on  the  smaller  sum.  If  the  figures  of  Mr.  Baldwin  are  cor- 
rect, the  case  will  stand  still  worse  for  the  Presbyterians. 


29 

devote  their  money  to  the  upbuilding  of  Congregational  col- 
leges. The  friends  of  that  Society  may  therefore  well  desire 
to  see  the  controversy  respecting  Knox  College  settled  in  a 
manner  satisfactory  to  both  denominations. 

Recapitulating,  now ,  the  items  thus  ascertained,  we  find  the 
account  between  Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians  to  stand 
thus: 

Congregationalists.    Presbyterians. 

Proceeds  of  farm  lands,     -       $25,050. 00  $7,400.00 

Large  donations  of  individuals,    40,000.00  nothing. 

College  Society,     -     -     -     -        2,604.18  868.05 

Total, $67,654.18  $8,268.05 

It  thus  appears,  that  where  New  School  Presbyterians  have 
contributed  one  dollar  to  the  support  and  endowment  of  Knox 
College,  Congregationalists  have  contributed  eight  dollars !  If 
the  donations  of  books  and  of  small  sums  of  money  collected 
at  different  times,  and  the  amount  paid  toward  college  build- 
ings, could  be  included  and  accurately  divided  between  the  de- 
nominations, the  result  would  be  still  more  favorable  to  the 
Congregationalists.  If  then,  a  denominational  claim  is  to  rest 
upon  a  pecuniary  basis,  it  is  evident  that  the  institution  should 
be  in  the  hands  of  the  Congregationalists.  It  will  be  ob- 
served, moreover,  that  while  the  purchase  of  land  at  a  rate 
high  for  that  time,  undoubtedly  secured  the  founding  of  the 
college,  and  has  been  mentioned  above  for  that  reason,  yet  the 
purchasers  in  a  very  few  years  received  back  their  money  and 
more  too,  in  the  rapid  increase  of  value  of  their  land  thus 
caused,  besides  possessing  scholarships,  which  alone  were  equal 
in  value  to  the  sum  originally  paid.  (Compare  Note  2  of  the 
Original  Prospectus,  for  an  appeal  to  this  very  result,  Ap- 
pendix X.)  If,  therefore,  we  should  base  our  calculations  on 
pure  donations  made  from  simple  benevolence,  the  account 
would  stand  thus:  Congregational  donations,  $42, 604 ; 
Presbyterian  donations,  $868.  In  other  words,  Congrega- 
tionalists have  furnished  forty-nine  dollars  to  one  of  the  real 
donations  ! 


30 

Reviewing  the  whole  ground,  which  has  been  carefully  tra- 
versed, the  Committee  are  prepared  to  answer  the  question, 
To  whom  should  Knox  College  belong?  It  was  established  as 
the  common  property  of  Congregationalists  and  New  School 
Presbyterians,  and  if  diverted  to  either,  might  properly  be 
claimed  by  the  Congregationalists.  The  original  printed  plan 
or  prospectus  of  the  institution,  adopted  in  Oneida  County,  N. 
Y.,  which  is  in  the  possession  of  the  Committee,  is  silent 
respecting  the  pretended  Presbyterian  character  of  the  insti- 
tution, and  speaks  only  of  broad  and  liberal  designs  for  the 
educational  and  religious  interests  of  the  West — a  significant 
fact  on  which  we  might  rest  the  entire  argument.  (See 
the  Original  Plan  as  given  in  Appendix  X.)  Of  even 
greater  weight  is  the  parallel  fact,  that  the  charter  obtained 
from  the  Legislature  of  Illinois  also  refuses  to  testify  in  favor 
of  this  sectarian  claim.  The  word  Presbyterian  does  not  occur 
in  it,  nor  is  there  any  denominational  allusion.  The  two  vol- 
umes of  College  Records,  down  to  the  date  of  the  present 
controversy,  are  equally  free  from  all  such  Presbyterian  pre- 
tensions. Surely  in  these  documents,  if  anywhere,  the  evidence 
should  be  found  that  it  was  originally  designed  that  the  col- 
lege should  be  distinctively  Presbyterian.  Their  utter  silence 
in  this  respect  is  alone  sufficient  to  dishonor  the  claim  in 
question. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  labor  and  self-denial  of  the  members  of 
both  denominations  have  joined  with  their  generous  contributions 
to  bring  the  college  to  its  present  condition  of  comparative 
strength.  Moreover,  nothing  can  be  more  obvious  than  that 
the  universal  understanding,  at  the  East  and  at  the  West,  has 
been  from  the  beginning,  that  Knox  College  was  a  union  insti- 
tution, like  Illinois  and  Beloit  Colleges.*  How  completely 

•*  Dr.  Curtis,  in  his  Inaugural  Address,  three  times  asserts  that  Beloit  Col- 
lege has  become  a  Congregational  institution,  and  that  it  is  consequently 
only  a  fair  balance  of  results  that  Knox  College  should  become  Presbyterian. 
(See  Appendix  F.)  The  assertion,  though  likely  to  gain  credit  from  his  recent 
connection  with  Beloit  College  as  a  Trustee,  is  without  foundation  in  fact, 
as  may  be  seen  from  President  Chapin's  letter,  (Appendix  V)  written  in 
reply  to  one  from  the  Chairman  of  this  Committee. 


31 

this  view  had  possession  of  the  minds  of  the  founders  may  be 
learned  by  reading  the  labored  argument  of  Mr.  Gale  for  the 
establishment  of  the  college,  on  page  9  of  his  "History,"  in 
which  he  says,  (the  italicising  is  by  this  Committee) :  "It 
has  been  suggested  that,  at  present,  one  college — that  at 
Jacksonville — is  sufficient  for  the  Presbyterian  and  Congre- 
gational wants  of  Illinois.  ******  Those 
States  (New  England)  have  seven  colleges  for  Congregation- 
alists;  it  has  been  suggested  that  one  at  present  will  do  for 
Illinois."  Neither  Mr.  Gale  nor  any  one  else  then  thought 
that  the  institution  belonged  to  the  Presbyterians  alone.  It 
asked  and  received  aid  of  the  union  College  Society,  and  was 
fed  in  the  hour  of  its  sore  need  by  the  common  bounty  of  both 
denominations.  Having  thus  two  parents,  who  have  nourished 
and  protected  it  during  the  feebleness  of  infancy,  why,  with 
with  the  approach  of  manhood  should  it  disown  either,  and 
especially  the  one  whose  care  and  love  have  been  so  truly  ma- 
ternal ?  And  this  would  be  the  more  unwise,  should  it  appear, 
that,  with  all  the  pecuniary  resources  now  within  its  control, 
the  college  must  still  secure  the  sympathy  of  both  denomina- 
tions, and  especially  of  the  Congregationalists,  in  order  to 
success.  Yet  such  is  the  case,  and  the  Committee  would 
draw  particular  attention  to  the  facts  which  they  are  about  to 
state. 

But  few  colleges  have  a  national  constituency.  Ordinarily 
they  are  local  institutions,  and  must  depend  for  students  upon 
the  territory  immediately  adjacent.  As  Baptists,  Methodists, 
Old  School  Presbyterians,  Episcopalians,  and  other  sects  have 
their  own  colleges  in  this  State,  Knox  College  must  depend  for 
students  almost  exclusively  on  New  School  Presbyterians  and 
Congregationalists.  But  these  denominations  are  supplied  with 
Beloit  and  Lind  University  on  the  North,  and  Illinois  College 
on  the  South,  leaving  but  a  narrow  range  of  counties  for  Knox 
College,  embracing  a  territory  about  a  hundred  miles  square, 
of  which  Galesburgh  is  the  centre .  What  is  the  respective 
condition  of  the  denominations  on  that  ground?  In  1844, 


when  there  were  no  railroads  and  population  was  sparse, 
there  were,  within  fifty  miles  of  Galesburg*  1 1  New  School 
Presbyterian  churches,  numbering  658  communicants.  Ac- 
cording to  the  Minutes  of  the  General  Assembly  for  1858, 
there  was,  within  that  same  circle  of  fifty  miles  radius,  but  4 
N.  S.  Presbyterian  churches  and  363  members !  though  rail- 
roads have  been  built,  the  population  doubled  or  trebled,  and 
new  towns  have  sprung  up  as  by  enchantment.  Hence,  if 
Knox  College  is  to  be  shut  up  for  sympathy  and  support  to 
N.  S.  Presbyterians,  and  given  over  for  patronage  to  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Knox,  it  will  Lave  a  Christian  constituency  number- 
ing less  than  the  membership  of  a  single  flourishing  church ! 
Can  the  success  of  such  a  scheme  be  otherwise  than  fatal  to 
the  college  ? 

Now  look  at  the  other  side.  In  1844  Congregationalism, 
convinced  that  it  was  the  loser  by  union  with  Presbytery,  be- 
gan to  claim  its  sons  and  to  organize  its  own  distinctive  churches. 
Beginning  almost  from  nothing,  as  regarded  outward  organiza- 
tion, though  not  as  regarded  individual  preferences,  it  now  pre- 
sents on  the  same  field  three  Associations  and  more  than  60 
churches,  with  over  3000  members!  And  these  churches,  in 
the  bosom  of  which  the  college  lies,  are  to  be  expelled  from  the 
partnership,  and  their  sympathy,  their  prayers,  their  gifts  and 
their  children  to  be  turned  to  other  institutions  !f  Surely  our 
Presbyterian  brethren  must,  as  a  denomination,  be  beside  them- 
selves, or  else  their  ministerial  sectarian  leaders  are  permitted 
in  the  name,  but  without  the  knowledge,  of  the  denomination, 
to  work  unspeakable  mischief  to  the  best  interests  of  education 
and  religion.  From  the  fanaticism  of  such  leaders  we  take  our 
appeal  to  the  sober  sense  and  candid  judgment  of  the  Presby- 
terian laymen,  (many  of  them  originally  Congregationalists,) 

This  is  the  exact  field  marked  out  for  the  college  by  Mr.  Gale  in  his 
"  History,"  page  9.     (See  Appendix  I.) 

f  The  rapid  decrease  of  students  since  the  accession  of  N.  S.  Presby- 
terians to  power,  the  number  running  down  from  an  average  ot  fifty-five 
for  five  years  previous,  to  about  twenty  at  present,  shows  that  the  process 
of  ruin  has  already  begun. 


33 

who,  we  are  persuaded,  have  no  objection  to  a  just  union  with 
their  Congregational  brethren  in  Knox  College.  We  rely  upon 
their  Christian  moderation  and  charity  to  correct  the  evils 
which  the  fiery  zeaFof  a  few  leading  minds  is  rapidly  devel- 
oping. Indeed,  we  are  but  true  to  our  own  principles,  when 
we  thus  throw  ourselves  upon  the  judgment  of  the  brotherhood, 
instead  of  submitting  to  the  dicta  of  the  officials.  We  are  per- 
suaded that  they  will  agree  with  us,  that,  however  necessary  it 
may  be  that  a  church  or  a  theological  seminary  should  have  a 
distinctive  denominational  character,  there  is  nothing  in  the 
nature  of  a  college  which  forbids  the  union  in  its  support  and 
management  of  denominations  so  nearly  allied  as  the  two  in 
question ;  while  such  a  union  seems  to  be  imperatively  de- 
manded in  a  new  country  like  this,  by  the  scarcity  both  of 
funds  and  students,  as  also  of  competent  professors  that  can  ill 
be  spared  from  other  important  pursuits,  especially  the  ministry 
of  the  gospel. 

IY.  The  last  topic  to  which  the  action  of  the  Presbytery 
relates  is,  the  course  pursued  in  this  controversy  by  Rev.  Ed. 
Beecher,  D.  D.,  whom  they  denounce  with  great  violence  as 
guilty  of  a  base  attack  upon  Dr.  Gale,  and  as  having  made 
slanderous  charges  against  him;  for  which  alleged  sins  they 
formally  exclude  him  from  their  ministerial  communion.  The 
Committee  have  made  careful  inquiry  respecting  this  whole 
subject,  consulting  the  published  documents  on  both  sides, 
hearing  the  defence  of  Dr.  Beecher,  and  offering  equal  opportu- 
nity to  the  Presbytery  to  sustain  their  allegations  and  to  defend 
their  action.  The  result  to  which  the  Committee  have  come 
may  be  expressed  in  the  following  particulars : 

1.  Dr.  Beecher  made  no  personal  attack  upon  Dr.  Gale. 
The  criticisms  which  he  passed  were  upon  Dr.  Gale  as  a  public 
man  and  not  as  a  private  individual.  He  censured  the  course 
pursued  by  Dr.  Gale  as  a  Trustee  and  Professor  of  Knox  Col- 
lege, and  in  particular  as  the  animating  spirit  of  a  revolutionary 
proceeding  which  was  publicly  carried  into  execution.  More- 
2* 


34 

over,  what  is  termed  an  attack  on  Dr.  Gale,  was  more  properly 
a  defense  of  the  highest  interests  of  the  college  and  community, 
yea,  of  religion  and  morality,  against  the  assaults  of  Dr.  Gale 
and  his  party. 

2.  Dr.  Beecher  had  no  occasion  for  first  making  inquiry 
from  Dr.  Gaie  as  to  the  correctness  of  his  statements,  nor  for 
waiting  for  the  result  of  private  labors  for  his  repentance.      It 
was  no  case  of  uncertainty,  nor  of  private  and  personal  difficulty. 
He  was  an  eye  and  ear  witness  of  the  principal  things  which 
he  alleged  against  Dr.  Gale,  and  knew  whereof  he  affirmed ; 
while  the  question  at  issue  was  of  public  nature  and  impor- 
tance, requiring  to  be  met  promptly  and  upon  the  spot. 

3.  Dr.  Beecher  acted  representatively  and  by  request  of 
trustees  of  the  college  and  prominent  citizens  of  Galesburg, 
who  knew  the  importance  of  laying  before  the  public  a  state- 
ment of  facts  and   principles  from  a  man  of  high  standing, 
familiar  with  college  affairs  there  and  elsewhere,  possessing 
the  confidence  of  both  denominations,  and  known  equally  at 
the  East  and  at  the  West. 

4.  The  spirit  displayed  by  Dr.  Beecher  in  his  statements 
and  arguments  was  eminently  Christian.     His  facts,  indeed, 
were  hard,  and  told  with  tremendous  power  against  Dr.  Gale 
and  the  revolutionary  faction  in  the  Board  of  Trust ;  but  Dr. 
Beecher  was  not  responsible  for  their  existence,  nor  for  their 
effect.     His  spirit,  however,  was  strikingly  appropriate  to  the 
work  providentially  assigned.      He  endeavored  to  discuss  the 
subject  boldly,  frankly  and  fully,  with  a  constant  reference  to 
the  law  and  judgment  of  God,  and  by  the  application  of  the 
broadest  and  noblest  principles  of  morality  and  religion.     He 
made  no  plea  for  narrow,  sectarian  interests,  but  for  the  best 
good  of  the  college,  of  the  adjacent  community,  of  the  two 
interested  denominations,  and  of  Christ's  cause  in  general;  and 
his  proposal  was,  to  have   the  whole  subject  referred  to   a 
mutual  arbitration.   Indeed  such  was  the  high  religious  tone  of 
his  address,  that  the  fact  was  made  the  subject  of  depreciating 


35 

allusions  by  a  member  of  tlie  Board  of  Trust  (not  a  professor  of 
religion)  who  essayed  a  reply.  Whatever  severity  of  reproof 
it  contained,  was  fully  justified  and  imperatively  demanded,  if 
the  facts  were  as  he  believed,  and  knew,  and  proved  them  to  be. 

5.  The  course  of  the  Presbytery  in  making  such  grave  and 
serious  charges  against  a  minister  of  the  gospel  without  full 
and  accompanying  proof,  can  in  no  wise  be  justified,  and  is 
unworthy  of  Christian  men.     They  had  no  right,  because  they 
differed  in  judgment  upon  a  matter  of  public  controversy,  in 
which  Dr,  Beecher  and  one  of  their  number  were  on  opposing 
sides,  to  arrogate  infallibility  and  perfection  to  themselves,  and 
to  impute  sin  against  knowledge  to  Dr.  Beecher.  They  had  no 
right  to  rush  into  print  with  grave  accusations  accompanied  by 
no  proof,   (save  in  a  single  instance  soon  to  be  noticed)  the 
effect  of  which,  if  believed,  (as  happily  they  were  not)  must  be 
to  destroy  Dr.  B's  ministerial  and  Christian  reputation.      Such 
charges,  especially  when  followed  by  a  virtual  bull  of  excom- 
munication, should  have  been  sustained  in  the  same  document 
by  the  most  abundant  and  indubitable  proof.    The  entire  neglect 
of  such  a  course  by  the  Presbytery  cannot  be  too  severely 
condemned. 

6.  The  Presbytery  have  not  disproved  one  of  his  statements. 
Indeed  they  have  ventured  to  specify  but  a  single  instance  of 
alleged  incorrectness.     Dr.  Beecher  stated  in  his  "Address," 
that  Dr.  Gale  had  refused  to  comply  with  .the  expressed  judg- 
ment, (not  "  command,"  as  the  Presbytery  state.    See  Appen- 
dix B),  of  his  Presbytery,  that  he  owed  a  confession  to  Pres. 
Blanchard  and  to  the  church  of  which  at  the  time  they  both 
were  communicants.  The  Piesbytery  deny  that  they  took  such 
action,  and  assert  that  they  merely  advised  Mr.  Gale  to  confess, 
if  he  saw  any  occasion  for  so  doing !     A  marvellous  result  of  a 
two  days'  investigation  truly!     But  the  Presbytery  did  not 
stultify  themselves  by  so   puerile  a   procedure.      They  first 
plainly  charged  guilt  upon  him,  and  then  expressed  the  hope 
that  he  would  see  the  duty  of  confession  to  be  binding,  com- 
mending the  promptness  with   which  Pres.    Blanchard   had 


36 

confessed  the  respects  in  which  he  had  been  in  fault.  Their 
exact  language  was,  "  Br.  Gale  has  been  deficient  in  duty  in  not 
unfolding  his  suspicions  in  the  first  place  to  one  (Pres.  B.) 
sustaining  such  intimate  relations  to  him."  In  other  words 
they  assert  that  he  violated  the  very  law  of  Christ  which  the 
Presbytery  in  their  recent  action  wish  inappropriately  to  apply 
to  Dr.  Beecher.  They  then  added  a  commendation  of  Prof. 
Blanchard's  confession,  and  said,  "  We  indulge  the  hope  that 
Br.  Gale  will  see  it  to  be  his  duty  to  do  the  same."  This  was 
stating  clearly  that  they  saw  it  to  be  his  duty  to  make  confession. 
Pres.  Blanchard,  however,  to  prevent  misapprehension,  inquired 
of  the  Presbyteiy  upon  the  spot,  whether  they  meant  that  Mr. 
Gale  owed  a  confession  to  him  and  to  the  church,  and  the  mod- 
erator having  called  the  roll,  every  member  answered  "  Yes" 
This  fact  is  certified  by  the  minister  (Mr.  Bascorn),  who  was 
then  clerk  of  the  Presbytery.  (For  a  full  account  see  Appen- 
dix W).  Thus  the  Presbytery  are  condemned  and  Dr.  Beecher 
acquitted  by  undeniable  evidence;  and  as  this,  their  only 
attempt  to  sustain  their  charges  against  him  by  a  specification, 
utterly  fails,  they  can  scarcely  hope  to  gain  credit  for  accuracy 
in  other  vague  assertions,  or  to  shake  that  confidence  in  the 
character  of  Dr.  Beecher  which  the  religious  public  have  so 
long  cherished. 

7.  The  action  taken  in  conclusion,  by  the  Presbytery,  with 
reference  to  Dr.  Beecher,  was  most  unusual  and  unjustifiable. 
Even  on  the  supposition  that  he  was  mistaken  in  his  repre- 
sentations, what  reason  was  there  to  doubt  the  honesty  of  his 
intention,  or  what  occasion,  on  their  part,  for  more  than  a 
counter  statement  of  fact  and  arguments,  and  an  expression  of 
grief  that  he  had  become  unduly  excited  over  imaginary 
wrong?  And  yet  they  proceeded  to  a  public  withdrawal  "as 
a  Presbytery"  of  ministerial  communion  !  Of  course  they  had 
no  ecclesiastical  power  to  discipline  a  minister  of  another  de- 
nomination; but  they  did  all  they  could  by  a  formal  and 
official  act,  to  depose  him  from  the  ministry,  so  far  as  their 
own  churches  were  concerned,  and  so  far  as  their  influence 


37 

might  affect  their  denomination .  Did  they  imagine  that  the 
antiquated  procedure  of  substituting  an  ecclesiastical  fulmi- 
nation  for  argument,  would  avail  at  the  present  day ;  or  did 
they  think  that  their  mere  assertions  would  destroy  the  repu- 
tation of  Edward  Beecher? 

But  their  attempt  to  inflict  high  ecclesiastical  censure  on  Dr. 
Beecher,  is  not  the  less  wicked  because  it  is  to  a  great  extent 
futile.  The  spirit  manifested  is  unworthy  of  a  Christian  body, 
and  the  act  has  scarcely  a  parallel  in  ecclesiastical  proceed- 
ings. The  effect,  also,  could  not  fail  to  be  disastrous  in  embit- 
tering existing  controversy,  in  dividing  the  religious  community 
in  that  locality,  in  embarassmg  the  future  President  of  the  col- 
lege should  he  be  a  Presbyterian,  (as  has  since  proved  to  be 
the  case,)  and  in  incensing  the  Congregational  churches  and 
ministers  of  Illinois,  the  Moderator  of  whose  General  Associa- 
tion, Dr.  Beecher  at  the  time  was. 

It  is  but  justice  to  our  New  School  Presbyterian  brethren  to 
say,  that  this  action  of  the  Presbytery  has  been  condemned  by 
not  a  few  of  thier  best  ministers  who  live  at  a  distance  from  the 
scene  of  conflict,  and  that  it  would  be  wrong  to  charge  the  folly 
and  sin  of  a  small  local  body,acting  in  the  heat  of  controversy, 
upon  the  whole  denomination,  unless  the  latter  approve  the 
act.  Whether  the  Synod  of  Peoria,  (to  which  the  Presby- 
tery is  attached  and  to  which  its  records  are  sent  for  review 
and  approval,)  condemned  or  endorsed  the  action  of  the  Presby- 
tery, at  the  next  meeting,  your  Committee  have  not-  learned. 
Their  records  will  show. 

In  the  conclusion  of  this  long  report,  which  it  has  been  the 
painful  duty  of  -the  undersigned  to  adopt  as  the  result  of  the 
investigation  ordered  by  the  General  Association,  the  Com- 
mittee would  express  their  regret,  that  they  have  been  under 
the  necessity  of  controverting  the  positive  statements  of  Chris- 
tian brethren;  but  the  truth  must  be  told,  however  unpleasant 
its  revelations .  Nor  is  there,  perhaps,  any  better  way  to  unde- 
ceive those  brethren  who  have  been  so  wofully  misled  by  their 
undue  confidence  in  the  declarations  of  Dr .  Gale.  The  Presbv- 


38 

tery  do  indeed  say,  in  the  preface  to  their  published  action, 
that  "  the  following  paper  was  unanimously  adopted  after  a 
very  careful  examination  into  the  correctness  of  all  its  state- 
ments;" but  it  is  plain  that  the  Presbytery  did  not  have  the 
means  of  testing  the  truth  of  the  affirmations  made  to  them  by 
Dr .  Gale,  and  that  they  did  not  sift  intelligently  the  documen- 
tary evidence  which  he  seemed  to  present,  but  were  so  blinded 
by  their  confidence  in  him,  or  by  their  party  bias,  as  not  to 
perceive  that  important  links  were  wanting  in  the  chain  of 
proof.  And  with  reference  to  Dr.  Gale,  whose  inaccuracies  and 
self-contradictions  of  statement  have  come  under  review,  the 
Committee  would  make  all  necessary  allowance  for  the  effect 
upon  memory  and  belief,  of  age,  disease,  the  lapse  of  time,  and 
strong  personal  and  party  feeling.  That  he  has  wrought  his 
own  mind  into  a  belief  of  his  assertions,  and  has  persuaded  his 
Presbytery  to  adopt  the  same  opinion,  the  Committee  would 
not  deny.  But  in  view  of  the  evidence  herewith  submitted, 
the  Committee  unanimously  declare,  that  the  allegations  of 
the  Presbytery  are  in  every  respect  unfounded,  and  are  indeed 
so  opposite  to  the  facts,  as  to  threaten  to  bring  great  discredit 
upon  statements  emanating  from  ecclesiastical  bodies;  thus 
doing  wide-spread  injury  to  the  cause  of  religion. 

The  Committee  have  no  specific  action  to  recommend  in  the 
premises,  both  because  the  duty  assigned  by  the  General  Asso. 
ciation  prescribes  only  an  inquiry  into  the  disputed  facts  and  a 
report  of  the  results  of  the  investigation,  and  because  the  Com- 
mittee are  no  more  competent  than  their  brethren  of  the  Asso- 
ciation to  decide  upon  the  steps  which  ought  to  be  taken  to 
secure  the  rights  which  are  imperilled. 

It  may  not  be  amiss,  however,  to  suggest,  that  a  kind, 
peaceable  and  most  Christian  procedure  would  be,  to  invite 
the  "  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Collegiate  and  Theological 
Education  at  the  West" — which  represents  both  Congrega- 
tionalists  and  Presbyterians,  and  from  whose  bounty  the  Col- 
lege drew  its  support,  in  part,  for  about  ten  years — to  mediate 


39 

between  the  parties  at  issue,  and  to  recommend  such  arrange- 
ments for  the  future  as  will  secure  harmony  and  co-operation. 

But  whatever  course  may  be  pursued,  and  whatever  difficul- 
ties may  appear  to  be  in  the  way  of  reversing  the  revolutionary 
policy  lately  adopted  by  the  majority  of  the  Board  of  Trust  of 
the  College,  the  undersigned,  with  unshaken  faith  in  the  power 
of  truth  and  in  the  operations  of  Divine  Providence,  would 
commit  to  the  General  Association,  and  through  them  to  the 
Christian  public,  the  foregoing  statement  of  indubitable  facts. 

WM.  W.  PATTON, 
CHARLES  G.  HAMMOND, 
OWEN  LOYEJOY, 
JOSEPH  EMERSON, 
SAMUEL  H.  EMERY", 
WILLIAM  CARTER, 
WILLARD  KEYES. 


TO    THE 

REPORT  OF  THE  KNOX  COLLEGE  INVESTIGATING  COMMITTEE, 


RESOLUTIONS   OF   GENERAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  ILLINOIS 
APPOINTING  THE  COMMITTEE. 

1.  Resolved,  That  this  Association  appoint  a  committee  of 
seven,  consisting  of  Rev.  W.  W.  Patton  and  C.  G.  Hammond, 
Esq.,  of  Chicago;  Hon.  Owen  Lovejoy,  of  Princeton;  Rev. 
Wm.  Carter,  of  Pittsfield;  Rev:  S.  H.  Emery  and  Willard 
Keyes,  Esq.,  of  Quincy;  and  Rev.  J.  Emerson,  of  Rockford, 
whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  repair  to  Knox  College,  in  this  State, 
to  inquire  into  certain  statements  put  forth  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Peoria  and  Knox,  touching  the  relations  of  Presbyterians 
and  Congregationalists  to  said  Institution,  and  the  difficulties 
which  have  recently  existed  in  the  same,  including  the  action 
of  said   Presbytery  in  reference  to  Dr.  Edward  Beecher,  the 
last  Moderator  of  this  Association. 

2.  Resolved,  That  said  committee  are  hereby  instructed  to 
seek  information,  first  from  Trustees  and  friends  of  the  College 
resident  in  Galesburg,  and  secondly  from  the  stated  clerk  and 
members  of  the  above  named  Presbytery. 

3.  Resolved,  That  this  committee,  after  the  most  careful 
and  prayerful  deliberation,  make  up  and  publish  in  the  Congre- 
gational Herald  the  result  of  their  investigation,  for  the  informa- 
tion of  our  churches,  and  also  report  their  doings  to  this  body 
at  its  next  meeting. 

4.  Resolved,  That  this  Committee  are  further  instructed  to 
invite  the  Rev.  Albert  Barnes,  of  Philadelphia,  and  Rev.  Pres- 
ident Hopkins,  of  Williams  College,  or  two  such  other  judi- 
cious men  as  the  committee  may  select,  to  meet  and  sit  with 


42 

them  as  members  of  the  council  in  full ;  and  that  said  com- 
mittee have  power  to  invite  the  several  evangelical  churches  in 
Galesburg  to  appoint  one  member  each  to  sit  as  advisory 
members. 

15 

ACTION  OF  THE  PRESBYTERY  OF  PEORIA  AND  KNOX. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox,  held 
in  Galesburg,  commencing  on  the  10th  day  of  September, 
1857,  the  following  paper  was  unanimously  adopted,  after  a 
very  careful  examination  into  the  correctness  of  all  its  state- 
ments. 

The  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox,  feeling  a  deep  interest 
in  all  our  institutions  of  learning,  because  of  their  controlling 
influence  in  society,  regard  with  great  anxiety  the  present 
condition  of  Knox  College.  The  attempt  which  has  been 
made  of  late  to  control  the  Board  of  Trust,  to  whom  the  man- 
agement of  the  affairs  of  the  college  belongs,  by  persons  who 
have  no  connection  with  that  Board,  and  who  have  no  right 
on  any  ground  whatever  to  prescribe  definite  action  to  the 
Board,  is  one  involving  so  many  dangers  to  any  college  against 
which  such  attempts  shall  be  made,  that  we  cannot  avoid  ex- 
pressing our  unqualified  condemnation  of  it.  Our  institutions 
of  learning  will  be  on  the  verge  of  ruin  when  they  shall  be 
controlled  by  the  prejudices  and  passions  of  the  multitude, 
excited  and  guided  by  selfish  and  designing  men,  rather  than 
by  those  who  are  legally  constituted  their  guardians  and 
directors. 

The  charge  has  been  publicly  made  and  zealously  circulated 
that  the  Presbyterian  body  are  aiming  to  secure  the  entire 
control  of  Knox  College,  in  order  to  make  it  a  sectarian  insti- 
tution. Such  a  charge,  we  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  is  wholly 
unfounded.  Of  those  members  of  the  Board  of  Trust  who  are 
connected  with  our  branch  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  all  but  two 
are  members  of  churches  under  the  care  of  this  Presbytery. 
This  Presbytery  encloses  within  its  bounds  almost  the  whole 
of  the  Presbyterian  influence  which  is  capable  of  attempting 
through  the  Board  to  control  the  college.  Any  attempt  to 
exercise  such  control  must  be  made  by  the  ministers  and 
members  of  churches  connected  with  this  body.  We  there- 
fore speak  from  our  own  knowledge,  when  we  deny  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  above  charge. 


43 

While  it  is  tkus  true  that  no  design  exists  among  the 
Presbyterian -body  to  make  this  college  a  sectarian  institution, 
it  is  also  true  that  no  other  denomination  can  rightfully  claim 
the  control  of  this  college,  and  that  no  other  denomination  is 
entitled  to  so  large  a  representation  in  the  Board  of  Trust  as 
our  own.  We  have  in  our  possession  and  subject  to  our  con- 
trol incontestible  evidence  of  the  following  facts,  viz :  That  the 
idea  of  founding  Knox  College  originated  among  Presbyterians 
— that  it  was  successfully  carried  into  execution  by  them — that 
almost  the  whole  amount  of  property,  by  means  of  which  the 
college  has  been  carried  on  successfully  for  twenty  years, 
and  which  now  constitutes  its  large  endowment,  was  given  by 
them — that  it  was  for  more  than  ten  years  after  its  foundation 
under  their  entire  control — and  that  its  founders  desired  and 
expected  that  the  Presbyterian  body  should  have  a  larger  share 
in  the  control  of  the  institution  than  any  other  body. 

The  Presbytery  has  noticed  with  great  grief  the  violent 
personal  assaults  which  have  been  made  by  the  Rev.  Edward 
Beecher  in  the  public  papers,  and  also  in  public  addresses,  upon 
the  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Gale,  who  is  a  member  of  this  body.  We 
regard  the  assault,  in  manner  and  in  spirit,  as  an  open  violation 
of  the  law  of  Christ  as  to  the  treatment  of  Christian  brethren. 
Whatever  may  have  been  his  own  opinion  concerning  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  charges  he  has  made,  it  is  certain  that  he  has 
not  pursued  the  course  prescribed  in  the  New  Testament 
towards  his  erring  brother.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  these 
very  grave  charges  have  been  brought  against  Mr.  Gale  without 
any  inquiry  from  him  as  to  their  correctness,  or  any  effort  to 
lead  him  to  a  proper  acknowledgment  of  them  if  correct,  and 
that  very  extraordinary  efforts  have  been  made  to  extend  the 
knowledge  of  them  far  and  wide  over  our  whole  land,  we  are 
compelled  to  say  that  until  the  Rev.  Edward  Beecher  shall 
undo  the  wrong  he  has  committed  in  this  matter,  we  must  as 
a  Presbytery  regard  him  as  unworthy  of  our  confidence  and 
Christian  courtesy  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 

We  have  long  known  the  Rev.  G.  W.  Gale,  and  we  are  only 
doing  justice  to  our  own  feelings,  as  well  as  to  his  character, 
when  we  say  that  we  have  not  even  a  suspicion  that  the 
accusations  above  referred  to  are  true  in  any  sense  injurious  to 
his  character  as  a  Christian.  We  know  and  love  him  as  a 
brother,  a  sincere  Christian  and  a  faithful  promoter  of  all  the 
interests  of  education  and  religion  in  our  midst. 


44 

Among  the  unfounded  charges  injurious  to  the  character  of 
this  whole  body  as  well  as  to  Mr.  Gale,  which  have  been  pub- 
lished to  the  world  by  the  Rev.  Edward  Beecher,  one  is  to  the 
effect  that  this  Presbytery  did  several  years  ago  enjoin  upon 
Mr.  Gale  the  duty  of  making  certain  confessions,  and  that  he 
has  refused  obedience  to  this  command,  without  receiving  from 
us  any  rebuke  therefor.  How  far  from  correct  this  charge  is, 
appears  from  the  following  facts.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Pres- 
bytery in  the  year  1851,  the  Rev.  J.  Blanchard,  not  being  a 
member  of  the  body,  asked  permission  to  be  heard  concerning 
alleged  difficulties  between  himself  and  Mr.  Gale.  The  Pres- 
bytery held  three  interlocutory,  that  is  informal  meetings,  in- 
order  to  hear  both  parties.  After  a  long  and  patient  hearing, 
and  in  view  of  the  fact  that  Mr.  Blanchard  had  as  he  stated, 
already  made  confession  of  wrong-doing  in  the  matter,  the 
members  at  that  meeting  advised  Mr.  Gale  to  examine  care- 
fully his  conduct  in  the  affair  under  consideration,  and,  if  his 
conscience  led  him  to  feel  that  any  confessions  were  due  from 
him,  to  freely  offer  them .  This  action  was  taken  at  an  in- 
formal meeting,  and  was  only  advisory.  Mr.  Gale  followed 
fully  the  advice  thus  given,  making  such  confessions  as  he 
thought  were  due  from  him. 

These  matters  we  have  been  compelled  to  refer  to  in  the 
manner  we  have,  as  an  act  of  justice  to  one  of  our  members, 
and  to  correct  in  the  public  mind  impressions  which  have  been 
laboriously  made,  false  and  injurious  to  the  character  of  this 
Presbytery. 

We  extend  to  our  brother  Gale,  our  sympathy,  and  our 
assurance  of  our  undiminished  confidence  in  him  as  a  man  and 
a  Christian  in  the  midst  of  these  fierce  attacks  that  are  made 
upon  him. 


c 

COPT  OF  INVITATIONS  TO  DBS.  GALE,  CURTIS,  BLANCH- 
AKD  AND  BEECHEK. 

CHICAGO,  ILL.,  Sept.  9,  1858. 

Rev. :  Dear  Sir; — As  Chairman  of  the  Committee, 

appointed  by  the  Illinois  General  Association,  to  investigate 
the  relation  of  Congregalionalists  to  Knox  College,  (which 
Committee  is  to  meet  at  Galesburg,  on  the  28th  inst.,  at  9 


45 

o'clock,  A.  M.,  in  the  Lecture  Room  of  the  First  Church),  I 
would  invite  you  to  be  present  at  its  sessions,  and  to  commu- 
nicate orally,  or  by  documents,  or  by  witnesses,  any  informa- 
tion within  your  power,  bearing  upon  the  subject  in  question. 
Yours  Truly, 

WM.  W.  PATTON. 


CHICAGO,  ILL.,  Oct.  5,  1858. 

Rev.  Dr.  GALE:  Dear  Sir: — The  Committee  of  the  Gene- 
ral Association  of  Illinois  were  sorry  not  to  have  seen  you  at 
their  meeting  in  Galesburg,  last  week,  as  they  were  very 
desirous  to  obtain  such  information  respecting  Knox  College, 
as,  from  your  early  and  long  connection  with  it,  you  might  be 
able  to  impart.  As,  however,  the  Committee  will  not  make 
their  report  for  some  time,  and  are  to  have  another  meeting 
towards  the  close  of  this  month,  in  this  city,  we  shall  be 
pleased  to  receive  from  you,  or  Dr.  Curtis,  or  the  stated  Clerk 
of  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox,  any  communications 
or  documents  on  the  points  in  controversy  before  the  Com- 
mittee, which  may  be  forwarded  to  me  prior  to  the' 20th  inst. 
Please  communicate  this  to  the  other  brethren  named. 

In  behalf  of  the  Committee. 

WM.  W.  PATTON,  Chairman. 


REPLY  or  REV.  DE.  GALE,  WITH  INSERTED  REMARKS 
BY  THE  COMMITTEE. 

CHICAGO,  19  Oct.,  1858. 

Rev.  W.  W.  PATTON:  Dear  Sir: — Some  time  ago  I  re- 
ceived a  note  from  you,  requesting  me  to  meet  a  Committee, 
which,  you  informed  me,  had  been  appointed  by  the  General 
Association  of  Illinois,  to  investigate  the  relations  of  Congre- 
gationalists  to  Knox  College,  and  to  come  with  witnesses  or 
documents,  or  to  state  orally  what  I  knew  about  the  matter. 
My  not  appearing  before  the  Committee  agreeably  to  the 
invitation,  I  wish  to  say,  was  not  owing  to  any  disrespect  to 
yourself,  or  the  other  gentlemen  from  abroad,  who  acted  with 
you  at  the  meeting.  My  reasons  for  not  obeying  the  sum- 
mons were — 

1st.  I  saw  no  necessity  for  the  appointment  of  such  a 
Committee.  Most  of  the  members  of  the  Association  knew 
how  our  Board  of  Trust  and  of  Instruction  stand,  or  could 


46 

easily  have  known  without  any  such  formality.  [But  there 
was  a  wide  spread  controversy  between  two  denominations  as 
to  their  respective  rights  in  the  College,  and  it  was  important 
that  the  facts  should  be  officially  ascertained  and  published. — 
COM.] 

2d.  If  the  relation  to  be  investigated  was  that  of  any 
right  to,  or  claim  upon  the  College,  I  would  remark,  I  am  not 
aware  that  the  General  Association,  or  any  other  Association 
in  Illinois,  or  anywhere  else,  had  anything  to  do  with  the 
founding  or  endowing  of  Knox  College,  either  by  their  coun- 
sels or  the  contributions  of  funds.  If  they  have,  the  facts 
must  be  known  to  them.  [We  do  not  know  that  any  Pres- 
bytery, as  such,  had  to  do  with  founding  or  endowing  Knox 
College,  yet  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox,  of  which 
Dr.  Gale  is  the  leading  member,  took  very  decided  and  public 
action  on  the  subject,  in  support  of  Presbyterian  claims. 
Eight  months  afterwards,  the  General  Association  of  Illinois, 
as  the  natural  representative  of  the  Congregationalists,  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  enquire  whether  the  assertions  of  the 
Presbytery  in  denial  of  all  Congregational  claims,  were  correct. 
Was  this  improper? — COM.] 

3d.  The  papers  and  documents  relating  to  the  history  of  the 
college,  with  but  few  exceptions,  are  in  the  keeping  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trust,  who  would  not  be  willing  to 
exhibit  them  to  any  such  Committee  without  an  order  of  the 
Board  to  do  so.  Should  any  gentleman  request  the  favor  of 
looking  into  those  papers  and  records  for  his  private  satisfac- 
tion, I  have  no  doubt  that  he  would  readily  grant  it.  The 
Board  of  Trustees  are  the  only  organ  to  which  communications 
relating  to  claims  upon  the  college  should  be  addressed,  and 
that  for  the  most  obvious  reasons — they  are  by  law,  as  well  as 
by  custom,  its  proper  guardians,  and  they  only  have  the  power 
to  adjust  claims.  It  could  not  reasonably  be  expected,  that  I 
should  take  part  in  any  measures  relating  to  the  affairs  of  the 
Board,  as  an  individual,  unless  appointed  by  them  to  do  it. 
[And  yet  Dr.  Gale  has  taken  a  most  active  part  in  the  public 
newspaper  discussions  of  these  very  affairs,  and  has  made  use 
therein  of  these  same  documents  which  the  Committee  desired 
to  see.  Could  not  the  Board  trust  the  "founder"  of  the 
college  and  their  principal  advocate,  to  show  these  papers  to 
us?  Besides,  it  would  seem  that  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and 
Knox,  were  allowed  to  see  them,  without  a  vote  of  the  Board. 
Moreover,  that  Presbytery  affirm  that  they  can  control  these 


47 

documents ;  for  they  say,  "  We  Lave  in  our  possession  and 
subject  to  our  control,  incontestible  evidence,"  &c.  Thereupon 
we  invite  and  urge  Dr.  Gale,  the  leading  member,  and  Mr. 
Bailey,  the  stated  Clerk,  to  show  us  this  "  incontestible  evi- 
dence ;"  when  we  are  told  that  it  belongs  to  the  Board  of 
Trust  and  cannot  be  exhibited  without  their  permission !  COM.] 

4th.  A  Court  of  Enquiry  could  not  expect  testimony  to  be 
offered  from  an  opposite  side,  when  the  Court  itself  is  consti- 
tuted wholly  by  a  party  in  the  controversy;  nor  ought  they  to 
expect  that  a  judgment  rendered  by  them  would  have  much 
weight  with  an  impartial  public.  [The  Committee  are  no 
"Court"  and  have  no  "judgment"  to  render,  other  than  a 
statement  of  ascertained  facts.  Dr.  Gale  well  knows  that  the 
Congregationalists  have  often  proposed  a  mutual  arbitration 
of  this  matter,  and  have  always  been  refused,  and  that  he,  in 
particular,  has  invariably  and  earnestly  resisted  such  a  refer- 
ence. He  knows,  also,  that  the  Rev.  Albert  Baines  of  his  own 
denomination  was  placed  upon  this  Committee.  Mr.  B.  was 
urged  by  the  Chairman  to  attend,  but  was  prevented  by  ill 
health.  Furthermore,  the  N.  S.  Presbyterian  church  in  Gales- 
burg  was  invited,  with  all  the  other  evangelical  churches  of 
that  city,  to  send  an  advisory  member  of  the  Committee,  but 
it  neglected  to  do  so.  And  surely  Dr.  Gale  might  have  aided 
in  our  investigation,  if  only  to  take  away  from  us  all  excuse 
of  ignorance.  COM.] 

.5th.  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  no  good  can  result  from  the 
functions  of  such  a  Committee  to  anybody.  The  position  of 
things  could  not  be  altered  by  them.  Their  obvious  tendency 
is,  to  do  harm  by  fanning  coals  of  strife,  which  ought  never  to 
have  been  kindled,  and  which  the  people  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
college,  both  for  the  interests  of  the  college  and  the  peace  of 
comrflunity  there,  do  not  wish  should  be  rekindled.  [The  good 
which  will  result  from  the  action  of  the  Committee  may  be 
more  apparent  hereafter.  It  always  assists  in  ending  a  contro- 
versy to  ascertain  facts.  Discussion  elicits  truth,  and  truth, 
once  elicited,  takes  care  of  itself  and  of  us  too.  As  to  the 
wishes  of  "  the  people  in  the  vicinity  of  the  college,"  it  is  noto- 
rious that  they  have  desired  this  investigation,  which  fact  was 
made  abundantly  evident  during  the  sessions  of  the  Committee 
at  Galesburg.  COM.] 

I  have  received  a  second  letter  from  you,  repeating  the 
request  for  me  to  send  communications  to  a  meeting  of  the 
Committee  to  be  held  in  Chicago,  and  to  present  your  request 


48 

to  the  Clerk  of  Presbytery.     I  have  done  so.     I  have  nothing 
more  at  present  to  communicate.         Respectfully  yours, 

GEO.'W.  GALE. 


D 

MINUTES  OF  THE  INVESTIGATING-  COMMITTEE. 

The  Committee,  by  appointment  of  the  Chairman,  met, 
Tuesday,  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.,  Sept.  28th,  1858,  at  the  Lec- 
ture Room  of  the  "  First  Church  of  Christ,"  in  Galesburg, 
111.  Rev.  Wm.  "W.  Patton  and  Brother  Charles  G.  Hammond, 
of  Chicago,  Rev.  S.  H .  Emery  and  Brother  Willard  Keyes,  of 
Quincy,  a  majority  of  the  Committee,  were  present.  Rev.  S. 
H.  Emery  was  appointed  Secretary.  The  exercises  were 
opened  with  prayer  by  the  Chairman.  The  action  of  the 
General  Association  of  Illinois  appointing  the  Committee,  was 
read ;  also  a  copy  of  a  letter  addressed  by  the  Chairman  to 
Rev.  Messrs.  Gale,  Curtis,  Beecher  and  Blanchard,  requesting 
their  presence  and  assistance. 

The  Chairman  stated  that  he  had  corresponded  with  Rev. 
Drs.  Hopkins  and  Barnes,  who  were  invited  by  the  General 
Association  to  sit  with  the  Committee  as  members  in  full,  but 
they  were  both  unable  to  accept  the  invitation ;  and  that  the 
Chairman  had  not  felt  authorized  to  substitute  other  persons-. 
He  also  called  for  delegates  from  the  evangelical  churches 
in  Galesburg  which  were  invited  by  the  General  Association  to 
send  advisory  members ;  whereupon,  Bro.  Eli  Farnham  appeared 
as  delegate  from  the  "  First  Church  of  Christ,"  and  Bro.  Julius 
DeLong  from  the  "  First  Congregational  Church,"  and^  took 
seats  with  the  Committee. 

On  motion,  Resolved,  That  the  friends  of  Knox  College  of 
every  name,  and  particularly  our  Presbyterian  brethren,  be 
most  cordially  invited  to  ba  present  and  take  part  in  the  inves- 
tigations of  the  Committee,  to  the  end  that  the  truth  may  be 
elicited,  and,  if  possible,  harmony  of  views  be  secured;  and 
that  the  congregation  here  present  be  requested  to  make  known 
the  desire  of  the  Committee  herein  expressed,  as  widely  as 
possible. 

Voted,  That  the  Stated  Clerk  of  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria 
and  Knox,  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Bailey,  be  notified  of  this  meeting 
and  be  requested  to  be  present  and  furnish  the  Committee 


49 

with  any  documents  or  facts  in  his  possession  on  the  subject 
matter  before  1184 

The  Chairman  thereupon  immediately  despatched  a  note  to 
the  above  effect  to  Mr.  Bailey,  who  resides  in  Galesburg. 

The  subject  of  filling  the  vacancies  on  the  Committee  occa- 
sioned by  the  non-acceptance  of  Rev.  Drs.  Barnes  and  Hop- 
kins, was  taken  up  and  discussed  for  some  time,  when,  on  mo- 
tion, the  public  exercises  were  adjourned  until  half  past  one 
o'clock  P.  M. 

The  Committee  being  by  themselves,  it  was  agreed,  that  as 
no  men  were  at  hand  who  sustained  the  same  relation  to  all 
the  parties  in  the  controversy,  as  Drs.  Barnes  and  Hopkins,  it 
was  not  advisable  to  attempt  to  fill  the  vacancies.  An  order 
of  investigation  and  business  was  also  arranged  to  be  pursued 
in  the  public  meeting. 

1^-  o'clock  P.  M.  The  Committee  met  and  the  exercises 
were  opened  with  prayer  by  Rev.  S.  H.  Emery,  The  Chair- 
man stated  that  in  their  investigation  the  Committee  would 
pursue  the  order  of  subjects  found  in  the  action  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Peoria  and  Knox,  taken  at  its  meeting  in  Galesburg, 
Sept.  10th,  1858,  and  published  by  its  direction  in  the  secular 
and  religious  papers.  The  messenger  reported  that  he  bad 
delivered  the  note  of  invitation  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Bailey, 
and  that  no  reply  was  sent  back. 

The  remainder  of  the  afternoon  was  spent  in  listening  to 
arguments  by  Rev.  J.  Bianchard,  Ex-President  of  Knox  Col- 
lege, against  the  positions  of  the  Presbytery,  and  in  examining 
witnesses  upon  the  various  points  raised,  among  whom  were  Rev. 
Messrs.  Bianchard,  E.  Beecher  and  L.  H.  Parker,  and  Messrs. 
Colton,  Simmons,  Tompkins,  Henry  Ferris  and  De  Long. 

Various  printed  and  written  documents  were  also  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  Committee,  among  which  were  certified  copies 
of  the  plot  of  the  farm  lauds  which  had  I  een  sold  by  the  Col- 
lege, and  of  the  records  of  the  county,  showing  to  whom  such 
lands  had  been  deeded  by  the  College.  Adjourned  till  7 
o'clock  P.  M. 

7  o'clock  P.  M.  The  session  was  opened  with  prayer  by  the 
Chairman.  The  meeting  was  held  in  the  church  to  accommo- 
date the  great  number  in  attendance,  and  the  edifice  was  filled 
by  a  large  and  deeply  interested  congregation  representing  all 
parties.  The  investigation  was  resumed,  and  Pres.  Bianchard 
heard  still  further,  and  the  following  witnesses  examined,  viz.: 
Rev  L.  H.  Parker,  and  Dr.  E.  Beecher,  and  Messrs  H.  Ferris, 
3 


50 

W.  Ferris,  E.  Farnham,  and  Paine.     Additional  printed  and 
written  documents  -were  introduced. 

The  Chairman  and  other  members  of  the  Committee  repeat- 
edly called  upon  those  present  to  bear  any  testimony,  make 
any  statement,  or  offer  any  suggestion  relevant  to  any  of  the 
topics  that  had  been  brought  forward. 

Rev.  Edward  Beecher,  D.D.,  was  then  heard  in  defence  of 
himself  against  the  charges  made  in  the  official  paper  of  the 
Presbytery,  vindicating  his  motives  and  conduct  in  the  part 
which  he  had  taken  in  the  controversy  respecting  the  college. 

At  a  late  hour,  after  the  Chairman  had  made  a  final  call  for 
further  evidence  or  suggestions  from  any  quarter,  the  Commit- 
tee adjourned  to  meet  in  Chicago,  at  the  call  of  the  Chairman, 
at  some  time  during  the  sessions  of  the  Triennial  Convention, 
to  meet  Oct.  20th. 

Oct.  21,  1858.  The  Committee  met  in  Chicago  at  9  o'clock 
A.M.,  and  spent  an  hour  in  an  interchange  of  views  and  in 
tearing  the  first  part  of  the  report  which  had  been  drawn  up 
by  the  Chairman.  Adjourned  till  to-morrow  morning  at  9 
o'clock. 

Oct.  22,  9  o'clock  A.M.  The  Committee  met  and  the 
session  was  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Chairman.  The  consid- 
eration of  the  report  was  resumed,  which  was  very  carefully 
read  and  considered,  paragraph  by  p  ragraph,  with  the  evi- 
dence sustaining  each  position.  After  the  unanimous  adoption 
of  the  report,  the  Chairman  was  directed  to  prepare  a  copious 
Appendix,  containir.g  the  evidence  upon  which  the  report  was 
based,  said  Appendix  to  be  submitted  to  the  Committee  for 
approval  at  a  future  meeting. 

April  25,  1859.  The  Committee  met  at  the  call  of  the 
Chairman,  in  Chicago,  and  heard  the  Appendix,  which  was 
approved.  Adjourned  till  meeting  of  General  Association,  at 
Bloomington. 

May  27,  1859.  The  Committee  met  at  Bloomington,  111., 
for-  a  final  consideration  of  the  Report  and  Appendix,  which 
were  unanimously  approved  and  ordered  to  be  laid  before  the 
General  Association. 

WM.  W.  PATTON,    Chairman. 
S.  H.  EMERY,  Secretary 


Attest,  i 


51 

E 

STATEMENT  OF  SEVERAL  TRUSTEES  OF  KNOX  COLLEGE. 

The  undersigned,  members  of  the  Board  of  Trust  of  Knox v 
College,  hereby  certify  that  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Trus- 
tees of  the  College  in  June,  1 849,  upon  a  motion  being  decided 
contrary  to  the  views  of  those  who  were  hostile  to  President 
Blanchard,  the  Rev.  G.  W.  Gale  arose  and  said :  "  Those  who 
voted  in  the  negative,  in  the  last  vote,  will  leave  the  room." 
He  then  went  out  followed  by  eight  other  Trustees.  This 
was  before  the  degrees  were  conferred,  or  the  other  ordinary 
annual  business  of  the  College  done.  Their  object  was,  by 
leaving  the  Board  without  a  quorum,  to  stop  all  business  and 
compel  the  majority  to  submit  to  them . 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  in  18^7  the  same  thing  was 
repeated  by  the  same  party,  except  that  at  this  time  they  re- 
fused to  go  into  the  legal  meeting  with  their  associates.  On 
this  occasion,  O.  H.  Browning,  Esq.,  of  Quincy,  who  has  been 
prominent  in  consummating  their  sectarian  plans,  said,  "  Call 
it  'ruin'  or  what  you  will,  we  have  made  up  our  minds  never 
to  go  into  another  meeting,  till  we  have  first  ascertained  that 
we  are  a  majority  !" 

We  also  certify  that  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Board  of 
Knox  College  in  1854,  the  friends  of  President  Blanchard 
being  then  and  there  in  the  majority,  and  a  motion  being 
made  to  elect  a  trustee  to  fill  the  vacancy  made  by  the  removal 
from  the  State  of  Hon.  Peter  Butler,  0.  H.  Browning.  Esq., 
to  prevent  such  election,  moved  to  lay  it  on  the  table,  but 
accepted  as  an  amendment,  a  compromise  resolution  binding 
the  Board  in  all  future  elections  to  abstain  from  any  party 
action;  which  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted  by  the 
Board  and  the  election  at  that  time  dropped.  But  as  soon  as 
the  said  Browning  and  those  acting  with  him  had  obtained  an 
accidental  majority,  they  denied  the  force  of  the  said  resolu- 
tion, and  did  not  hesitate  to  violate  it  by  the  election  of  men 
to  the  Board  by  a  strictly  party  vote. 

We  further  testify  that  some  of  their  number  did  say,  that 
the  Professorship  vacated  by  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Gale,  ought 
of  right  to  be  filled  by  a  Congregationalist,  and  that  they 
would  go  for  it,  which  promise  they  also  violated. 

We  also  testify,  that  we  repeatedly  urged  upon  them  to  refer 


UNIVERSITY  OF 
ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 


52 

the  whole  college  difficulty  to  impartial  arbitration,  which  they 
constantly  refused  to  do. 

We  also  further  testify,  that  we  proposed  to  them  that  we 
would  vote  for  a  non-  sectarian  President,  such  as  Rev.  Asa  D. 
Smith,  D.  D.,  of  New  York  city,  independent  of  all  other 
issues  in  connection  with  said  vote,  which  proposition  they 
refused  to  accept. 

Signed,  ELI  FARNHAM, 

L.  SANDERSON, 

THOMAS  SIMMONS,        ,    Trustees 
MATTHEW  CHAMBERS, 
J.  BLANCHARD, 
C.  S.  COLTON. 

With  the  exception  of  the  first  foct  stated,  which  occurred 
before  we  were  members  of  the  Board;  we  certify  to  the 
above. 

Signed,  F.  BASCOM,        )  T     t 


S.  G.WRIGHT, 

REMARKS   BY   THE    COMMITTEE. 

As  there  has  been  an  attempt  to  deny  the  passage  of  the 
compromise  resolution  mentioned  above,  and  to  affirm  that  it 
was  laid  on  the  table,  because  the  Secretary  of  the  Board, 
Prof.  Los^y,  has  recorded  it  somewhat  blindly  in  the  Records, 
we  would  remark  that  the  proof  of  its  passage  is  abundant. 
1  —  We  have  above  the  explicit  testimony  of  those  who  were 
present,  and  who  took  part  in  the  action,  and  who  have  special 
reason  to  remember  it,  because  it  changed  all  their  previous 
plans  and  led  them  to  foibear  to  use  their  power  as  a  then 
majority.  2  —  We  have  a  similar  and  minute  testimony  from 
personal  knowledge,  by  Rev.  Horatio  Foote,  of  Quincy,  111., 
also  a  Trustee,  in  a  letter  published  in  the  Galesburg  Demo- 
crat, Sept.  23,  1857,  in  which  he  states  reasons  for  retaining 
a  specially  vivid  remembrance  of  the  action  then  taken,  as 
related  to  Prof.  Gale's  previous  course.  3  —  We  have  the  cor- 
roborative fact  that  the  expected  election  of  a  Trustee  was 
postponed,  which,  in  the  circumstances  must  have  been  occa- 
sioned by  such  an  agreement.  4  —  Prof  Losey,  the  Secretary, 
affirms  that  he  meant  to  record  the  resolution  as  having  passed. 
(See  Losey's  letter  in  Galesburg  Democrat,  Sept.  23,  1857.] 
5  —  He  has  discovered  and  published  his  original  minute  made 
on  the  spot,  which  reads  thus:  "Moved  by  Mr,  Colton,  That 


53 

we  proceed  to  an  election  of  a  Trustee  in  the  place  of  the  Hon. 
P.  Butler,  removed  out  of  the  State.  After  some  discussion 
upon  the  motion,  it  was  moved  by  Hon.  0.  H.  Browning  that 
the  question  of  election  be  laid  upon  the  table,  which  motion 
was  finally  carried  after  being  amended  by  inserting  the  pre- 
amble and  resolution  offered  by  the  Rev.  F.  Bascom  at  the  last 
meeting  of  the  Board,  in  words  following,  to  wit:  [Here  the 
compromise  resolution  was  to  be  copied  in]  the  mover  accept- 
ing the  proposed  amendment." 

Thus  it  will  be  seen,  that  it  was  the  motion  to  proceed  to  an 
election  that  was  laid  on  the  table,  while  the  compromise  reso- 
lution, accepted  by  Mr.  Browning  as  an  amendment  of  his  own, 
was  passed.  Very  properly  does  Prof.  Losey,  (in  a  second 
letter  to  the  Galesburq  Free  Democrat,  in  which,  however,  he 
seems  somewhat  confused  as  to  the  effect  of  the  motion  adopt- 
ed) say,  that  "  the  record  shows  that  the  resolution  was  passed 
without  a  negative  vote,  and  it  has  been  a  matter  of  amaze- 
ment to  me  that  any  one  should  seriously  question  its  final 
adoption." 

F 

FIKST  EXTRACT  FROM  THE   INAUGURAL  ADDRESS  OF 
PRESIDENT   CURTIS. 

"It  was  not  designed  to  be  sectarian.  And  yet  it  was 
expected  that  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  prevailing  type  of 
Christian  sentiment  here  would  be  a  Calvinistic  faith,  acting  in 
and  through  Presbyterian  organizations.  This  was  the  faith 
of  those  who  originated  the  enterprise.  This  was  the  character 
of  their  first  organization.  And  for  many  years  no  other 
organization  was  proposed  or  seriously  considered.  And  yet  it 
was  not  a  sectarian  movement.  A  Chiistian  man  must  not 
only  believe  in  Christianity  in  general,  but  he  must  believe 
something  in  particular.  And  his  faith  on  those  points  which 
constitute  the  distinctive  characteristics  of  particular  denomin- 
ations, will  define  his  denominational  character.  Not  to  have 
a  creed,  and  a  well-defined,  distinctive  religious  character,  indi- 
cates not  liberality,  as  some  suppose,  but  religious  indifference 
rather,  or  a  vacillating  mind  that  has  no  fixed  opinions,  or  a  lack 
of  honest  frankness,  as  though  the  man  were  ashamed  or  afraid 
to  avow  what  he  does  believe,  and  intended  by  concealment  to 
cheat  somebody.  Any  Christian  man  who  is  fit  to  be  a  public 


54 

teacher,  will  have  firmly-established  and  well-defined  religious 
sentiments;  and  it  is  exceedingly  important  that  in  each  pub- 
lic institution  there  should  be  a  general  harmony  of  sentiment. 
This  will  not  beget  an  intense  denominationalism.  It  will  pre- 
vent it,  rather,  by  removing  the  elements  and  occasions  of 
jealousy  and  strife,  by  which  sectarianism  is  nourished.  Gir- 
ard's  idea  of  making  his  institution  religious  without  being 
sectarian,  simply  by  prohibiting  clergymen  to  enter  its  gates, 
was  both  silly  and  absurd:  as  though  laymen  could  not  be 
sectarian ;  and  as  though  all  clergymen  'were  so  necessarily. 
The  founders  of  Knox  College  designed  it  to  be  a  Presbyterian 
institution;  not  Presbyterian  as  opposed  to  other  denomina- 
tions; not  as  a  propagandist  agency;  but  as  Beloit  is  Congre- 
gational and  liberal,  just  so  they  expected  this  to  be — a 
co-ordinate  instrumentality,  jointly  with  others,  to  diffuse 
knowledge  and  to  promote  morality  and  religion  in  this  young 
but  prospectively  rich  and  glorious  country.  It  was  planned  in 
the  most  liberal  spirit  of  union  and  co-operation.  It  was 
commenced  and  carried  forward  by  Presbyterians,  before  the 
lamentable  division  of  1837  and  1838;  while  old  and  new 
school  men  were  united  in  one  organization,  and  had  a  com- 
mon interest  in  all  the  institutions  established  by  both  parties. 
It  was  commenced  and  carried  forward  during  the  palmy  period 
of  co-operation,  when  Congregationalisms  worked  harmoniously 
with  Presbyterians  in  the  work  of  education  and  missions, 
home  and  foreign.  We  were  all  full  of  love  and  union  then; 
"  neither  said  any  one  that  aught  of  the  things  which  he  pos- 
sessed was  his  own,  but  they  had  all  things  common."  It  was 
assumed  that  there  was  a  common  faith  among  us,  and  that 
there  were  common  interests,  which  did  not  need  to  be  specially 
guarded  by  articles  of  copartnership,  and  specifications  of 
proprietorship,  and  of  separate  rights.  These  institutions  were 
designed  specially  for  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists; 
but  not  for  them,  even,  exclusively. 

Brown  University,  and  Yale,  and  Hamilton,  and  Nassau 
Hall  Colleges,  are  each  denominational,  yet  not  exclusive; 
have  each  their  predominant  type  of  religious  sentiment,  and 
are  each  under  the  leading  supervision  of  some  one  denomina- 
tion, and  yet  are  not  sectarian  or  propagandist  in  any  such 
wise  that  a  parent  in  New  York  would  fear  to  send  his  son  to 
any  one  of  them.  So  here  at  the  West  we  have  Shurtleff,  and 
McKendree,  and  Marengo,  and  Beloit,  which  have  each  a 
decided  denominational  supervision.  And  yet  I  think  I  may 


55 

assume  of  them  all  what  I  know  of  one,  that  neither  of  them  is 
in  any  odious  sense  a  sectarian  college.  I  would  rather 
a  thousand  fold  send  a  son  to  such  an  institution,  whose 
character  was  undisputed  and  well  known,  than  to  a  half-and- 
half  college,  where  there  is  a  balancing  of  power,  and  a  constant 
strife  for  pre-eminence;  and  where  jealousy  and  party  spirit, 
and  suspicion,  and  hatred,  are  the  natural  products  of  such  an 
unnatural  state.  If  the  denominational  spirit  and  party  feeling 
among  old  and  new  school  Presbyterians,  and  Congregational- 
ists,  could  have  been  so  held  in  check  that  no  alienations  and 
divisions  in  other  matters  had  occurred,  then  might  our  educa- 
tional institutions  have  gone  on,  as  some  of  them  commenced, 
without  ever  raising  the  question  of  denominational  influence, 
and  right  of  ownership  and  control.  But  in  the  inscrutable 
providence  of  GOD,  and  through  the  imperfection  of  men,  such 
a  happy  union  was  not  permitted  to  continue.  And  we  have 
now  to  adjust  matters  as  well  as  we  can  to  the  present  actual 
condition  of  things.  Three  colleges  have  been  built  up  in  this 
State  (for  Beloit,  standing-  on  the  line,  belongs  to  Illinois  as 
much  as  to  Wisconsin),  by  the  united  counsels  and  funds  of 
New  School  Presbyterians  and  Congregational ists.  Jackson- 
ville is  trying  to  balance  itself  on  the  pivot  of  neutrality.  But 
every  breath  of  wind  threatens  the  equipoise.  Beloit  is 
strongly  Congregational.  Is  it  too  much  to  claim  that  Knox 
College,  with  its  indubitable  parentage,  with  its  well-known 
early  history,  and  its  appropriate  and  significant  name,  shall  be 
permitted  to  be  held  and  worked  mainly  by  those  whom  that 
name  befits,  and  who  sympathize  most  nearly  with  its 
founders  ? 

I  have  dwelt  the  more  at  length  on  this  point,  because  it 
has  been  the  theme  of  earnest  discussion  in  this  community, 
and  the  occasion  of  serious  diversity  of  opinion,  and  of  some 
asperity  of  feeling.  It  ought  not  to  be  impracticable  for  high- 
minded  Christian  men  so  to  arrange  our  institutions  of  learning 
that  the  proprietary  rights  of  all  .parties  in  interest  shall  be 
equitably  regarded ;  the  full  power  of  each  denomination  which 
has  been  associated  brought  into  exercise  and  left  free  to  devel- 
op itself;  and  only  a  generous,  sanctified  rivalry  remain  from 
these  previous  strifes;  each  corporation  striving  to  make  its 
own  nursling  the  best  institution  in  the  State. 


56 

o 

TESTIMONY    OF    RET.    MESSES.    L.    H.   PAEKEE,   E. 
BEECHER,  D.  D.  AND  J.  BLANCHAED. 

REV.  L.  H.  PARKER,  of  Galesburg,  testified  before  the  Com- 
mittee as  follows : 

"Last  spring  I  was  at  Geneseo  in  my  capacity  as  Trustee  of 
the  Academy  in  that  place.  There  were  propositions  under 
consideration  with  reference  to  its  coming  under  the  distinctive 
control  of  N.  S.  Presbyterians.  I  met  there,  Rev.  Mr.  Spen- 
cer, (N.  S.  Presbyterian  minister,  now  resident  in  Chicago,) 
who  said  that  it  was  now  the  design  and  settled  policy  of  his 
denomination  to  bring  all  the  schools,  academies  and  colleges 
in  which  they  were  interested  under  their  distinctive  ecclesias- 
tical control.  In  accomplishing  this,  Knox  College,  he  re- 
marked, had  given  them  more  trouble  than  any  other  insti- 
tution." 

REV.  DR.  EDWARD  BEECHER  testified  as  follows : 

"  Before  the  election  of  Dr.  Curtis  to  the  Presidency,  I  had 
an  interview  with  Rev.  Dr.  Patterson,  of  Chicago,  to  see 
whether  some  investigation  of  facts,  or  reference  to  arbitrators, 
or  basis  of  adjustment  could  not  be  secured  prior  to  any  elec- 
tion by  the  Board  of  Trust.  But  such  an  effort  at  an  accom- 
modation of  differences  was  wholly  objected  to  and  refused, 
both  by  Dr.  P.  and  by  Dr.  Gale.  Dr.  P.  asserted  that  the  college 
belonged  to  the  N.  S.  Presbyterians,  and  that  they  ought  to 
have  the  entire  control  of  it." 

REV.  J.  BLANCHARD  testified  as  follows: 

"  Before  Rev.  Dr.  Curtis  entered  on  his  duties  as  President  of 
Knox  College,  I  had  a  correspondence  with  him,  in  which  I 
urged  the  importance  of  an  investigation  of  the  origin  and  en- 
dowment of  the  College.  In  his  reply  and  in  subsequent  con- 
versation he  insisted  that  the  Congregationalists  had  done  a 
groat  wrong  to  the  N.  S.  Presbyterians  in  the  affairs  of  the 
college,  which  he  meant  to  redress;  and  he  asserted  that  it  was 
on  the  ground  of  securing  the  rights  of  Presbyterians  to  the 
college  that  at  the  urgent  solicitation  of  members  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  he  had  accepted  the  office  of  President." 


'57 

H 

ABANDONMENT  or  THE  ORIGINAL  SUBSCRIPTION. 

Great  use  has  been  made  by  Dr.  Gale  and  the  N.  S.  Pres- 
byterians, of  what  is  called  "  the  original  subscription"  for 
establishing  the  town  and  college,  obtained  in  the  State  of 
New  York  prior  to  any  purchase  of  land.  Dr,  Gale  has  stated, 
( G-alesburg  Democrat,  Aug.  19,  1857,)  that  $28,200  were 
subscribed,  of  which  $25,800  were  by  Presbyterians  and  $2,400 
by  Congregationalists.  This  statement  has  been  also  circulated 
in  printed  letter  form,  producing  the  impression  that  this 
money,  in  this  denominational  proportion,  was  actually  paid 
in  by  those  subscribers,  and  established  the  college.  Now, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  whatever  money  came  from  the  original 
subscribers,  forms  a  very  small  part  of  the  funds  of  the  college, 
while  the  original  subscription,  as  such,  fell  through  and  was 
never  collected,  though  the  organization  continued,  and  some 
of  the  same  men  became  purchasers  and  settlers.  The  proof 
of  this  is  abundant. 

1.  The  original  subscription  book,*  of  which  the  Committee 
have  a  certified  copy,  through  the  kindness  of  Prof.  Losey, 
throws  much  light  on  this  subject.  The  book  contains  several 
classes  of  subscribers.  Class  L,  amounting  to  $20,100,  (omit- 
ting one  name — James  Barton,  $800 — which  occurs  twice  in 
the  subscription,  apparently  by  mistake,  and  belongs  properly 
under  the  next  class, )  were  those  who  were  to  pay  down  the 
cash  with  which  the  land  was  to  be  entered,  and  afterwards  to 
take  the  amount  in  land.  Class  II.,  amounting  to  $8,300, 
were  persons  who  agreed  "to  go  as  soon  as  they  could  sell" 
their  present  farms,  but,  as  will  appear,  never  went.  Class 
III .,  nominally  amounting  to  $6,200,  appears  to  be  a  mere 
memorandum  of  persons  who,  "to  encourage  the  object," 
expressed  a  willingness  to  take  land  after  the  purchase  was 
made  and  deeds  could  be  given.  Class  IV.,  amounting  to 
$60,  was  a  small  conditional  subscription  for  incidental  ex- 
penses. The  real  subscribers,  therefore,  who  were  to  initiate 
and  carry  out  the  plan,  were  those  in  Class  I .  Not  one  of 
their  subscriptions  is  marked  as  paid! 

*     There  is  reason  to  doubt  whether  "memorandum  book"  would  not 
better  express  the  truth,  since  the  use  of  initials  instead  of  the  last  name, 
and  the   omission  of  first  names  altogether  in  some  cases,  suggest  that 
there  was  no  binding  subscription  made  by  the  individuals  named. 
3* 


58 

2.  If  the  original  subscription  was  paid,  tlie  money    has 
never  been  accounted  for  to  the  Trustees  of  the  College.     The 
accounts  are  satisfactory  and    square  with  the  facts,  without 
this  sum ;  but  if  this  amount  be  added  to  the  money  obtained 
by  loan  and  otherwise,  there  is  a  large  deficit  for  which  some- 
body is  responsible. 

3.  It  may  be  gathered  from  Dr.  Gale's  own  statements,  that 
the  original  subscription  was  not,  as  such,  enforced  and  col- 
lected.    In  his  historical  letter  to  the    Galesburg  J Democrat, 
Aug.  19,  1857,  he  says,  that  when  the  first  exploring   com- 
mittee failed  to  fix  upon  a  location,  and  a  second  one  was  ap- 
pointed and  was  about  to  go  West  to  make  the  purchase,  "  the 
prudential  committee  did  not  feel  authorized  to  call  upon  all 
the  subscribers  for  funds,  it  being  uncertain  whether  a  suitable 
place  to  purchase,  could  be  found.     The  *um  of  eight  thousand 
dollars  was  voluntarily  advanced  by  a  number  of  subscribers, 
&c.,      *      *      *       Tins  sum  being  entirely  inadequate  to  the 
object  in   view,  Mr.  Sylvanus  Ferris  and  myself  gave  a  note 
of  ten  thousand  dollars  payable  to  the  Bank  of  Utica,  &c." 
Thus    it    appears    that  the    original   plan    of    raising    cash 
subscriptions,  with  which  to  make  the  purchase,  could  not  be 
carried  out,  and  was  abandoned.     Part  of  those  who  had  sub- 
scribed then  advanced  $8,000,  while  $10,000   more  was  bor- 
rowed at  the  Bank,  and  thus  the  purchase  was  made,  the  bor- 
rowed money  to  be  refunded  from  the  subsequent  sales  of  land 
to  colonists. 

A  similar  confession  is  contained  in  Dr.  Gale's  letter  to  the 
Congregational  Herald,  July  29,  1858,  in  which,  however, 
with  a  somewhat  characteristic  self-contradiction,  he  makes  the 
entire  amount  raised  for  the  purchase  (including  the  $10,000 
borrowed  at  Bank)  to  have  been  only  about  $15,000  instead 
of  $18,000,  and  gives  a  different  reason  for  not  pushing  through 
the  original  subscription.  He  says,  "the  little  time  allowed  "to 
raise  the  funds  rendered  it  impossible  to  call  on  many  of  the 
subscribers,  or  for  them  to  raise  the  money  on  so  short  notice. 
What  was  raised  was  obtained  mostly  through  loans  by  the 
subscribers  who  were  near  at  hand,  and  who  generously  came 
forward  and  paid  the  whole  of  their  subscriptions." 

As  yet  a  third  and  earlier  account  by  Dr.  Gale,  differing 
still  more  widely  as  to  the  money  advanced  by  subscri- 
bers, making  it  only  $600  or  $700,  see  his  "History"  o, 
the  college,  p.  7,  in  which  he  says,  "They  contributed  six  tc 
seven  hundred  dollars  in  money,  negotiated  a  loan  of  tei 


59 

thousand  dollars  at  the  Bank  of  Michigan,  and  chose  a  pur- 
chasing committee,  &c.,  &c  ."*  What  reliance  can  be  placed 
on  the  statement  of  one  whose  memory  is  so  treacherous  and 
whose  assertions  are  mutually  destructive  ? 

And  here  may  be  introduced  the  testimony  given  before  the 
Committee  by  Mr.  Eli  Faruham,  as  follows:  ''Several  years 
ago  Mr.  Gale  lold  me  that  the  original  subscription  was  given 
up,  which  he  much  regretted  on  account  of  the  poor  young 
men  who  might  have  been  aided  by  the  funds." 

3.  A  comparison  of  the  names  attached  to  the  original  sub- 
scription, with  the  names  of  those  who  actually  bought  and 
paid  for  form  lands,  and  founded  the  college,  will  demonstrate 
beyond  cavil  the  same  fact,  showing  that  many  who,  when  the 
subscription  was  made,  thought  of  embarking  in  the  enter- 
prise, afterwards  declined  to  do  so.  Indeed,  Mr.  Gale  says,  in 
his  History  of  the  Church,  ("Manual,"  page  13)  "By  some  it 
was  thought  best  to  form  a  church  of  the  proposed  emigrants, 
and  select  a  paster  before  leaving  New  York.  It  was,  how- 
ever, on  further  consideration,  thought  best  to  omit  it,  until 
they  should  arrive  at  their  new  homes  in  the  West.  It  was 
well  that  this  prevailed,  as  a  considerable  number  of  the  fam- 
ilies found  themselves  unable  to  remove"  Of  course,  then, 
they  purchased  no  farms  and  their  subscriptions  were  never 
paid.  Yet  they  constituted  more  than  three-quarters  of  the 
original  association!  The  names  of  the  original  subscribers, 
Classes  I  and  II,  were  as  follows,  of  whom  only  those  printed 
in  small  capitals  actually  purchased  and  paid  for  land  at 
Galesburg: 

Actual  purchasers.— G.  W.  GALE,  $1000;  H.  H.  KELLOGG, 
$1000;  JOHN  WATERS,  $1000;  MR.  McMuLLEN,  $400;  NE- 
HEMIAH  WEST,  $400;  N.  H.  LOSEY,  $400;  THOS.  SIMMONS, 
$800;  S.  FERRIS,  $400;  GURDON  GRANT,  $400;  H.  T.  AVE- 
RT (for  family,)  $800.  Total,  $6,600. 

Failed  to  purchase. — T.  B.  Jervis,  $1000;  Thos.  Gilbert, 
$400;  Sylvester  Bliss,  $500:  Samuel  Bona,  $400;  Nathaniel 
Curtis,  $500;  Walter  Webb,  $400;  Barnabas  Norton,  $400; 
J.  C.  Smith,  $400;  Samuel  Peck,  $400;  P.  Camp,  $400; 
Geo.  Stedman,  $400;  S.  W.  Stuart,  $400;  Roland  Sears, 

#^£The  discrepancy  here  is  so  great,  as  to  suggest  a  typographical 
error:  and  if  the  sum  had  been  printed  in  figures,  it  would  be  natural  to 
suppose  that  a  cypher  had  been  accidentally  omitted :  it  is  more  difficult 
to  admit  that  the  word  hundreds  was  printed  for  thousands;  still  it  might 
be  so,  or  there  might  have  been  an  error  of  the  pen  in  the  manuscript. 


60 

$400;  Chester  Johnson,  $300 ;  Sylvanus  Town,  $400 ;  J.  F., 
$400;  H.  S.,  $400;  Acatus  Robbins,  $400;  Elisha  Jenne, 
$400;  Luther  Stiles,  $400;  J.  B.  Marsh,  $400;  Chauncey 
Peirce,  $400;  Smith  Griffith,  $400;  Lewis  Kinney,  $;00; 
John  Gray,  $400 ;  J.  S.  Fitch,  $400 ;  John  Kendall,  $400 ; 
Benj.  Lane,  $400;  Francis  Wm.  Churchill,  $400;  Araminta 
P.  Rice,  $300;  Sidney  Rice,  $400;  Abijah  Atherton,  $800; 
Theron  Arraes,  $800 ;  — Hawes,  $800;  O.  Pearson,  $400; 
O.  Johnson,  $400;  —  Lucas,  $400;  Jos.  B.  Robbins,  $200; 
James  Barton,  $800;  —  Thurston,  $200;  —  Allen,  $400; 

—  Harrington,  $800;  Alba  Smith,  $800;  — Colton,  $300; 

—  Young,  $800;  —  Loomis,  $400.     Total,  $21,800. 

Thus,  with  reference  to  the  $28,400  originally  pledged  by 
fifty-six  persons,  it  appears  that  but  ten  persons,  representing 
only  $6,600  of  the  amount,  actually  engaged  in  the  enterprise 
and  made  any  payments;  and  of  these  the  Consregationalists 
claim  two,  (Simmons  and  Avery,)  while  a  third  (Waters)  sym- 
pathizes and  acts  with  them  in  the  present  "controversy ;  the 
subscriptions  of  the  three  amounting  to  $2,600,  leaving  $4,000 
of  the  portion  of  the  original  subscription  that  was  paid,  to  the 
Presbyterians.  Yet,  in  the  face  of  this  utter  failcre  of  the 
subscription,  as  such,  a  copy,  or  rather  a  professed  abstract  of 
it,  has  been  repeatedly  published  in  the  papers,  and  sent  abroad 
in  a  circular,  as  evidence  that  Knox  College  was  founded  by 
the  Presbyterians  alone !  Was  this  honest  ? 


PROFESSED  SALE  IN  NEW  YORK  STATE  LITTLE  BETTER. 

Finding  that  the  claim  based  on  the  original  subscription 
would  not  hold  good,  resort  has  lately  been  had  to  a  sale  pro- 
fessed to  have  been  made  in  New  York  State,  after  the  locating 
Committee  had  made  the  purchase  and  returned.  Professor 
Losey's  private  memorandum  of  this  sale  computes  the  result 
thus :  (We  give  also  Dr.  Gale's  account  in  Galesburg  Demo- 
crat, Aug.  19,  1857.) 


Professor  Losey's  Account. 

Presbyterians, $20,170 

Congregational ists,  -  -    1,760 


Professor  Cole's  Account. 
Presbyterians,  -  -  -    $21,925 
Congregationalists,  -  -  1,900 


Unknown, 1,520 

$23,825 
$23,450  ' 


61 

But  on  examining  an  attested  copy  of  the  names  and  the 
respective  amounts  placed  opposite  to  them,  we  find  $3,390 
credited  to  persons  who  never  paid  a  dollar  for  college  land, 
as  the  county  records  of  land  sales  show.  We  find,  moreover, 
$6,480  opposite  names  (including  Mr.  Waters)  there  claimed 
as  Presbyterian,  but  which  we  have  reason  to  believe  should 
be  transferred  to  the  Congregational  list.  These  corrections 
would  reduce  the  amount  of  Presbyterian  purchases  to  $1 0,300 
and  increase  those  of  the  Congregationalists  to  $8,240.  But 
the  still  farther  inaccuracy  of  the  whole  schedule  may  be  seen 
from  the  fact  that  the  Presbyterians  who  actually  went  to 
Galesburg  and  took  land  are  credited  with  $2,180  more  than 
they  ever  paid  to  the  college,  according  to  the  County  records, 
which  would  reduce  their  purchase  down  to  $8,120.  In  truth 
the  whole  sale  was  such  but  in  name,  taking  effect  only  in  case 
purchasers  chose  to  consummate  it,  which  many  failed  to  do; 
and  the  memorandum  of  it  is  entirely  unreliable  as  showing 
actual  pecuniary  transactions. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DR.  GALE'S  HISTORY  OF  KNOX  COL- 
LEGE. 

0 

This  was  originally  published  in  1845,  and  as  it  is  now  out 
of  print  and  not  generally  accessible,  the  committee  give  ex- 
tracts bearing  upon  the  facts  in  dispute. 

"  These  families  were  homogeneous  in  their  character,  par- 
taking of  the  spirit,  as  they  sprang  from  the  blood,  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers  of  New  England.  They  loved  the  Bible, 
the  Sabbath  and  the  Sanctuary.  They  cherished  with  slight 
or  no  variation,  the  same  views  of  Gospel  truth ;  and  felt  as 
their  fathers  felt,  the  importance  of  transmitting  the  institu- 
tions of  religion  to  those  who.  should  come  after  them,  as  the 
richest  inheritance  they  could  leave."  Page  3. 

"  But  their  views  were  not  restricted  to  benefitting  their 
descendants.  The  object  which  gave  birth  to  the  enterprise, 
was  that  of  diffusing  over  an  important  region  of  country,  at 
an  early  period  of  its  settlement,  the  combined  influences  of 
education  and  religion.  Like  their  ancestors  they  had  both 
*  pastors  and  teachers.'  "  pp.  3 — 4. 

"  Early  the  ensuing  spring,  after  much  consultation  and 
prayer,  a  Presbyterian  church  was  formed  consisting  of  82 


62 

members;  a  part  were  the  fruits  of  the  late  revival,  but  the 
most  united  by  certificate.  They  were  Presbyterians  and 
Congregational  is  ts  in  nearly  equal  numbers;  but  both  parties 
were  resolved  to  yield  their  predilections  father  than  divide. 
The  same  spirit  has  continued  since,  and  though  the  church- 
polity  has  been  somewhat  modified,  there  is  yet  (1845)  but 
one  church  in  the  village."  p.  4. 

"  The  settlement  of  Galesburg  originated. in  the  desire  and 
hope  of  doing  good.  It  had  in  this,  its  birth  and  being  from 
the  minds  and  hearts  of  its  projector  and  his  associates." 

"  The  writer  of  the  present  sketch,  as  early  as  1825,  con- 
ceived the  plan  of  combining  physical  labor  with  education, 
especially  for  the  benefit  of  those  young  men  who  in  passing 
from  laborious  occupations  to  a  life  of  study,  too  commonly 
surfer  by  the  transition  from  active  to  sedentary  pursuits.  It 
was  thought  two  objects  might  be  obtained  by  such  a  scheme 
— the^preservation^of  health,  and  the  cheapening  of  a  liberal 
education  to  enterprising  young  men  by  the  avails  of  their 
labor.  The  writer  was  connected  with  the  first  regular  effort 
to  combine  manual  labor  with  a  liberal  course  of  instruction 
made  in  this  country.  And  though,  like  every  valuable  dis- 
covery, it  was  to  be  expected  that  this  improvement  in  the 
mode  of  education  would  be  affected  by  the  ebbing  and  flow- 
ing of  public  sentiment,  as  indeed  it  has  been ;  yet  he  has  the 
satisfaction  of  believing,  with  a  multitude  of  best  informed 
men,  that  vast  benefits  have  accrued  and  are  yet  to  accrue 
from  the  attempt  to  combine  physical  labor  with  intellectual 
culture  and  education  in  this  country." 

"Encouraged  by  good  success,  and  finding  himself  strait- 
ened in  his  location  in  New  York  State,  by  surrounding  en- 
dowed institutions,  the  writer  conceived  and  drew  up  a  plan 
for  a  large  institution  at  the  West,  which  was  in  substance  as 
follows: — 

"  A  colony  of  settlers  was  to  be  formed,  and  a  township  of 
land  (i.  e.  six  miles  square,  or  36  square  miles  or  sections, 
making  23,040  acres,)  purchased  at  the  government  price. 
Three  sections  near  the  centre  being  reserved  for  a  village  and 
college  grounds;  the  remainder  was  to  be  divided  into  farms, 
appraised  according  to  loc-ition,  near  or  remote  from  the  town 
and  Institution,  its  woodlands,  or  other  advantages;  the  whole 
to  be  rated  at  an  average  price  of  not  less  than  $5  per  acre ; 
and  purchasers  were  to  take  these  farms  at  their  estimated 
and  marked  value ;  or  bid  for  the  choice  where  there  was  com- 


63 

petition.  All  the  town  property  (a  mile  square,)  after  paying 
cost,  was  to  constitute  a  fund  for  Academies  for  both  sexes. 
And  the  proceeds  of  all  other  lands  after  paying  expenses, 
etc.,  was  to  constitute  a  fund  for  building  the  College-edifices, 
and  endowing  professorships,  and  scholarships,  consisting  of 
the  right  of  gratuitous  instruction  of  one  student  for  25 
years  for  each  80  acres  purchased  and  cultivated  within  a  given 
time."  p.p.  5 — 6. 

"  A  subscription  was  accordingly  opened,  and  operations 
commenced.  Rev.  H.  H.  Kellogg,  (since  then  first  President 
of  the  college,)  and  Rev.  John  Waters,  entered  cordially  into 
the  enterprise,  and  attached  themselves  to  it;  though  Mr. 
Kellogg,  then  engaged  in  a  flourishing  Institution  for  the  edu- 
cation of  females,  which  he  had  himself  founded  and  built,  did 
not  remove  to  Illinois  with  the  first  who  came.  Rev.  G.  W. 
Gale  was  appointed  to  procure  a  colony  of  settlers. 

"  About  30  families  soon  embarked  in  the  enterprise,  con- 
tributed funds  for  the  purchase;  and  an  exploring  committee 
was  chosen,  consisting  of  Nehemiah  West,  Thomas  Gilbert, 
and  Timothy  Jems.  They  were  not  to  purchase ;  but  spend- 
ing, as  they  would,  some  of  the  hot  months  in  the  Westj  to 
select  and  report  a  suitable  location  for  the  objects  of  the 
colony."  p.  6. 

"  No  location  was  reported  by  the  Committee.  Doubt  and 
uncertainty  for  a  time  settled  upon  the  enterprise,  but  the 
Directors  were  not  disheartened.  The  cause  had  been  commit- 
ted to  God,  and  the  salvation  of  souls  was  in  it. 

"They  contributed  six  to  seven  hundred  dollars  in  money; 
negotiated  a  loan  of  ten  thousand  dollars  at  the  Bank  of 
Michigan;  and  chose  a  purchasing  committee  who  were  to 
proceed  forthwith  to  Illinois,  select  a  location  if  possible,  and 
make  the  purchase.  This  committee  were  Sylvanus  Ferris, 
Neheraiah  West,  Thomas  Simmons  and  Geo.  W.  Gale."  p.  7. 

"  At  Detroit,  Mr.  Samuel  Tompkins  was  added  to  the  com- 
mittee in  place  of  Rev.  G.  W.  Gale,  who  was  taken  sick  on 
his  way  up  the  lake.  Mr.  Tompkins,  with  Kev.  John  Waters, 
had  accompanied  the  Committee,  and  the  latter  proceeded  on 
with  the  Committee,  and  was  present,  aiding  in  the  selection 
of  the  site."  p.  7. 

"  These  minute  details,  though  perhaps  not  interesting  to  the 
general  reader,  are  yet  so  to  the  descendants  of  the  men  con- 
cerned, and  may  be  of  some  use  to  future  pioneers  in  the 
West. 


64 

"  But  the  controlling  idea  of  the  whole  enterprise  was  the 
building  up  an  institution  of  religious  learning  for  present  and 
future  generations:  and  the  spot  on  which  this  was  to  be 
erected  was  not  fixed  upon  without  grave  and  deliberate  fore- 
cast." p.  8. 

"  But  commercial  towns  must  be,  and  are  rapidly  rising 
along  the  cources  of  the  great  rivers;  and  Knox  College  is 
conveniently  situated  for  the  education  of  their  sons.  Taking 
Gaiesburg  for  a  center,  a  sweep  of  50  miles  takes  in  120  mil^s 
of  the  Mississippi:  in  other  words,  this  great  stream  runs  120 
miles  without  getting  more  than  50  miles  from  Knox  College. 
The  same  circle  takes  in  more  than  30  miles  of  the  Rock 
River,  and  more  than  70  of  the  Illinois;  embracing  besides 
other  towns,  15  county  seats.  Whether  a  college  placed  in 
the  center  of  such  a  region  is  located  wisely,  for  present  and 
prospective  uses,  capable  minds  will  not  find  it  difficult  to 
judge. 

"  It  has  been  suggested  that,  at  present,  one  college — that 
at  Jacksonville — is  sufficient  for  the  Presbyterian  and  Congre- 
gational wants  of  Illinois.  The  founders  of  Knox  College 
judged  otherwise.  Such  sparse  collegiate  policy  has  no  prece- 
dent, in  New  England,  or  any  where  else,  except  in  popula- 
tions wedded  to  ignorance.  Even  in  Lower  Canada,  the 
Romanists  had,  fifteen  years  ago,  located  6  colleges. 

"  New  England,  excluding  Maine,  and  including  Vermont, 
New  Hampshire,  Massachusetts,  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Is- 
land, has  an  area  of  31,280  square  miles;  the  State  of  Illinois 
has  55,000!  In  1840  these  States  together  had  a  population 
of  1,732,339;  Illinois  had  476,183.  Those  States  have  seven 
colleges  for  Congregationalists ;  it  has  been  suggested  that 
one,  at  present,  will  do  for  Illinois."  p.  9. 

"  This  sketch,  designed  for  the  double  purpose  of  public 
information  and  a  document  for  reference,  is  necessarily  mi- 
nute. 

"  The  purchasing  committee  returned,  a  meeting  of  the  sub- 
scribers was  called  to  receive  their  report  at  Whitesboro,  N. 
Y.,  January  7,  1836.  The  report  was  satisfactory,  was  accep- 
ted, and  the  following  proceedings  had,  viz :  A  College  was 
provisionally  organized,  to  be  called,  till  chartered,  "  Prairie 
College"  A  Board  of  Trust  appointed,  consisting  of  Rev. 
John  Waters,  Sylvanus  Ferris,  Rev.  H.  H.  Kellogg,  Dea. 
Thomas  Simmons,  John  C.  Smith,  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Gale,  Ne- 
hemiah  West,  Isaac  Mills,  Samuel  Tompkins,  and  Dr.  Walter 


65 

Webb.  The  town  site  was  reported,  and  the  name  Galesburg 
confirmed.  Plats  of  the  purchase  were  made.  Town  prop- 
erty was  reserved  of  560  acres.  1004  acres  were  reserved 
for  college  and  theological  uses.  The  balance  of  the  purchase 
was  divided  into  farms;  appraised  upon  the  average  of  five 
dollars  per  acre;  and  nearly  half  of  the  whole  purchase  sold 
to  purchasers,  most  of  whom  had  never  seen  the  soil.  Such 
was  their  confidence  in  the  committee."'  p.p.  10 — 11. 

"  The  town  plat,  made  in  the  center  of  the  purchase,  em- 
braced 160  acres.  The  form,  size  and  price  of  lots  were  fixed, 
A  ten  acre  lot  on  each  side  of  the  town  was  reserved  for  male 
and  female  academies;  also  a  cemetery  of  five  acres,  ground 
for  a  meeting  house  and  a  lot  for  a  parsonage.  Plans  for 
Academy  buildings,  public  house,  and  steam  mill  were  sugges- 
ted, but  finally  left  to  private  enterprise. 

"  In  the  spring  (1836)  several  families  removed,  by  land, 
and  arrived  at  the  settlement  in  June.  Others  went  on  with 
them  to  prepare  to  remove  their  families  in  the  fall.  Among 
these  were  Messrs.  West  and  Gale,  two  of  the  Trustees,  who 
were  authorized  to  procure  a  survey  of  the  town  plot,  which 
they  did,  and  sold  a  large  amount  of  town  property  to  emi- 
grants from  New  York  Vermont  and  Maine;  most  of  the 
Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists  who  had  heard  of  and 
•wished  to  join  the  enterprise."  p.  11. 

'*  An  incident  occurred  at  Portsmouth,  respecting  the  Sab- 
bath, worthy  of  note.  While  tied  up  for  the  day  at  that 
place,  a  steamer  came  to  on  Sabbath  morning,  bringing  home 
a  large  number  of  commissioners  to  the  Presbyterian  General 
Assembly?  which  had  just  closed  its  sessions.  A  clergyman 
came  to  the  canal  boat  and  addressing  an  old  lady  (most  of 
the  boat's  company  were  at  public  worship  on  shore)  invited 
them  to  come  on  board  the  steamer  for  worship.  The  old  lady 
asked  if  the  boat  had  not  come  in  that  morning  ?  He  an- 
swered yes.  "  We  had  heard,"  said  she,  "  that  you  were  to 
have  worship  on  board,  but  we  had  concluded  not  to  attend 
the  preaching  of  those  who  are  breaking  the  Sabbath."  p.  11. 

u  There  being  but  one  religious  society  as  yet  in  the  place, 
(long  may  the  happy  Union  continue),  and  all  the  influ- 
ences centering  in  the  college  and  subordinate  schools,  the 
discipline  over  students  is  rather  that  of  the  place  than  of  the 
institution,  and  nothing  seems  requisite  but  industry  and 
fidelity,  with  the  continued  approbation  and  blessing  of  God, 
to  realize  the  most  ardent  hopes  and  pious  wishes  of  the 


66 

founders  and  friends  of  the  colony  and  Seminaries  here  plant- 
ed." p.  14. 


TESTIMONY  OF  SUNDRY  WITNESSES  BEFORE   THE   COM- 
MITTEE. 

DEACON  SAMUEL  TOMPKINS  testified:  "I  was  one  of  the 
original  trustees  of  the  college,  and  was  appointed  with  the 
others  at  Whitesboro',  N.  Y.,  in  January  1836.  I  was  also  one 
of  the  committee  who  purchased  the  land  for  the  settlement, 
having  been  put  on  at  Ottawa,  111.,  in  place  of  Rev.  Mr.  Gale, 
who  was  detained  by  illness.  My  expenses  were  borne  from 
that  time  by  the  Association.  I  was  never  anything  but  a 
Congregationalist,  and  sympathized  at  the  time  with  the  efforts 
of  Rev.  Pindar  Field,  in  N.  Y.  State,  in  behalf  of  pure  Con- 
gregationalism. I  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
the  land,  amounting  to  $560.  I  was  present  at  the  organiza-, 
tion  of  the  first  church  in  Galesburg,  and  moved  that  its 
denominational  name  and  character  be  decided  by  a  majority 
vote  of  all  the  members.  To  this  Mr.  Gale  objected,  and 
argued  that  we  would  better  agree  to  the  name  Presbyterian, 
which  was  in  better  odor  at  the  East  and  would  bring  us  more 
aid  for  the  college.  He  said  that  he  cared  little  for  the  General 
Assembly  or  anything  above  the  Presbytery.  It  was  decided 
at  the  organization  that  members  should  be  examined  and 
received  by  the  whole  church,  a  majority  of  the  session  .sitting 
with  them." 

DEACON  THOMAS  SIMMONS  testified:  "I  was  a  member  of 
the  locating  and  purchasing  Committee,  and  was  one  of  the 
original  trustees  of  the  college.  I  was  notified  of  my  being 
constituted  a  member  of  the  locating  Committee  before  1  left 
home  in  N.  Y.,  by  a  letter  from  Rev.  G.  W.  Gale,  who  first 
proposed  it  to  me  a  week  or  two  before,  at  Whitesboro',  in 
August  1835.  Afterwards  Mr.  Gale  and  the  rest  of  the  Com- 
mittee appointed  Mr.  Tompkins  a  member  in  the  place  of  Mr. 
Gale,  who  was  ill;  which  appointment  was  ratified  by  the 
Association  in  N.  Y.  State.  I  was  at  the  time  a  member  of 
the  2nd  Congregational  church  at  Hamilton,,  N.  Y.,  and  was  a 
"  Pindar  Field  "  Congregationalist.  My  expenses  were  borne 
by  the  Association  through  the  entire  journey,  out  and  back. 


67 

I  paid  $800  at  starting,  and  $200  more  at  Galesburg,  at  the 
location  and  settlement. 

[Remarks  by  the  Committee.- — Let  the  reader  compare  the 
definite  statement  of  these  two  individuals,  who  speak  from 
their  own  knowledge,  with  the  inaccurate  hearsay  story  of 
Prof.  Losey,  in  the  Galesburg  City  News,  July  2,  1858,  as 
follows: 

"It  ought  to  be  stated  that  Mr.  Gale  was  taken  sick  at 
Detroit,  and  meeting  with  Thomas  Simmons  and  Samuel 
Tompkins,  who  were  going  west  on  their  own  private  business, 
the  former  of  whom  was  a  subscriber  to  Mr.  Gale's  circular, 
they,  at  Mr.  G's  suggestion,  were  requested  to  co-operate  with 
the  two  members  of  the  committee,  which  they  did." 

So  also  Dr.  Gale  (Galesburg  Democrat,  Aug.  19,  1857, 
bottom  of  5th  column)  says,  "At  Buffalo  the  Committee  met 
Messrs.  Simmons  and  Tompkins  going  out  for  themselves. 
The  Committee  invited  these  gentlemen  to  join  them,  and  assist 
them  in  their  exploration." 

Again  Dr.  Gale  says,  (Cong.  Herald,  July  iJ9,  1858) 
"Messrs.  Simmons  and  Tompkins,  who  had  undertaken  the 
journey  unsolicited,  were  requested  by  the  Committee  to  act 
with  them,  quite  as  much  out  of  favor  to  them  as  to  the  Com- 
mittee. The  expenses  of  one  of  these  were  borne  after  he 
reached  Detroit,  till  his  return;  of  the  other  from  Ottawa,  111. 
*  *  *  they  were  never  recognized  by  the  Society  as  part  of 
the  Committee."  These  statements  are  disproved  not  only  by 
the  direct  testimony  of  the  two  men  above,  but  also  by  Dr. 
Gale's  own  "  History,"  p.  7,  (See  Appendix  I  of  this  pam- 
phlet.) Moreover  Mr.  Simmons  (as  Dr.  Gale  acknowledges  in 
Galesburg  Democrat,  Aug.  19,  1857,)  joined  with  Mr.  West, 
the  fourth  member  of  the  Committee,  in  endorsing  the  note  for 
$10,000  drawn  on  the  Bank  of  Utica  by  Kerris  and  Gale,  the 
other  two  members,  and  discounted  by  the  bank  at  Detroit, 
with  the  avails  of  which  the  land  was  entered.  And  Dr.  Gale 
says  that  this  was  done  "  to  give  it  the  appearance  of  a  Society 
transaction."  Must  not  Simmons,  then,  have  bee  a  a  Commit- 
tee man,  a  representative  of  the  Society. 

Compare,  also,  with  the  above,  Mr.  Gale's  statement  in  the 
Galesburg  Democrat,  Aug.  19,  1857,  "  The  projectors  of  the 
College  were  all  Presbyterian,  and  not  a  single  member 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  at  its  organization,  was  con- 
nected with  a  Congregational  church."  Yet,  further  on  in  the 
same  letter,  speaking  of  the  original  purchase  money  and 


68 

alluding  to  Simmons  and  Tompkins,  he  says,  "  Six  hundred 
dollars  of  this  sum  being  furnished  by  two  men,  the  only  per- 
sons connected  with  Congregational  churches."  Now,  his  own 
''History,"  p.  10,  gives  the  names  of  these  two  men  among 
the  original  Trustees!  Thus  does  Dr.  Gale  continually  furnish 
the  materials  for  his  own  refutation. 

MR.  WM  .  FERRIS  testified :  "  I  am  the  son  of  Esq.  Sylva- 
nus  Ferris.  He  lived  in  Norway,  Herkimer  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and 
there  professed  religion,  uniting  .with  the  Congregational 
church,  with  which  he  remained  for  twelve  or  thirteen  years 
till  he  removed  from  the  place." 

MR,  HENRY  FERRIS  testified:  "I  am  the  the  son  of  Esq. 
S.  Ferns.  Father  removed  to  the  town  of  Russia,  where  he 
found  the  church  to  be  Presbyterian,  and  united  with  it,  but 
would  have  joined  a  Congregational  church  as  readily." 

[Remark  by  Committee. — Compare  with  the  above,  Dr. 
Gale's  statement,  (Congregational  Herald,  July  29,  1858,) 
"  Messrs.  West  and  Ferris,  as  well  as  myself,  are  represented 
as  almost,  if  not  altogether,  Congregational ists.  That  either 
of  these  persons  ever  had  any  such  tendencies  was  certainly 
never  a  suggestion  of  their  own  consciousness,  and  could  not  be 
believed  if  judged  by  their  acts"] 

MR.  HENRY  FERRIS  testified  further:  "I  remember  that, 
about  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  church,  Mr.  Gale 
referred  Jipprovingly  to  Mr.  Firiney's  remark,  that  '  hell  had  a 
jubilee  whenever  the  General  Assembly  met,'  and  that  he  said 
that  Brother  Finney  had  left  the  General  Assembly,  but  he 
was  not  yet  prepared  for  that,  though  he  did  not  know  how 
soon  he  might  be." 


K 

PJJOOF  THAT  SIMMONS'  NAME  is  IN  DEEDS  AS  A  COM- 
MITTEE MAN. 

Dr.  Gale,  in  the  Congregational  Herald  of  July  29,  1858, 
in  attempting  to  deny  that  Simmons  and  Tompkins  (Congre- 
gationalists)  were  members  of  the  purchasing  and  locating 
committee,  makes,  as  in  many  other  instances,  the  following 
unqualified  but  very  incorrect  assertion:  "Nor  were  their 
names  inserted  in  the  title  to  the  laud  purchased."  If  this 


69 

were  true,  it  would  prove  nothing  to  the  point,  as  it  was,  of 
course,  much  more  convenient,  both  in  purchasing  and  selling, 
to  be  obliged  to  secure  the  presence  and  signatures  of  two 
instead  of  four  persons ;  but  to  test  the  accuracy  of  Dr.  Gale, 
we  call  attention  to  the  following  evidence: 

A  document  is  in  the  hands  of  this  Committee,  entitled  "A 
list  of  the  Lnnds  in  Knox  County  entered  in  October  and  No- 
vember, 1835,  and  conveyed  to  the  College;"  prepared  from 
the  County  Records  and  testified  as  correct  by  Thos.  N.  Ay  res 
&  Son,  Real  estate  Agents. 

From  this  we  learn  that  the  following  entries  or  purchases 
of  land  were  made  for  the  College: 

160  acres  purchased  by  Ferris,  West,  SIMMONS  and  Gale  of  John  G.  San- 
born,  October  17,  1835. 

76.47  do  do  do  Ferris,  West  SIMMONS,  and  Gale  of  M.  Crosby  and 

W.  W.  Bailey,  October  19,  1835. 

40  do  do  do  Ferris,  West,  SIMMONS  and  Gale  of  Henry  Lander 

October  17,  1835. 

140  do  do  do  Ferris,  West,  SIMMONS  and  Gale,  of  Thomas  Jen- 

nings, October  28,  1835. 

These  416.47  acres  were  conveyed  to  the  College  by  Ferris, 
West,  SIMMONS  and  Gale,  March  7,  1838.  Thus  there  would 
seem  to  be  at  least  Jive  deeds  to  disprove  the  wholesale  asser- 
tion of  Dr.  Gale. 


ft 

ADDITIONAL   TESTIMONY  WRITTEN  AND   DEAL. 

COL.  MATTHEW  CHAMBERS,  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of 
Galesburg,  both  in  respect  to  wealth,  character  and  influence, 
being  unable,  on  account  of  his  health,  to  be  present  at  the- 
public  meeting,  sent  to  the  Committee  the  following  document: 

"  Mr.  Lusher  Gay  and  myself  and  sever;)!  other  gentlemen 
from  Bridport,  Vt.,  and  other  towns  in  the  vicinity,  started  on 
an  excursion  in  the  month  of  May,  1836,  for  the  far  west,  with 
the  hope  of  finding  a  location  to  suit  us  in  Northern  or  Central 
Illinois.  *  *  *  We  continued  our  journey  through  Adams, 
Hancock  and  Warren  counties  to  Monmouth.  At  this  place 
we  for  the  first  time  heard  of  the  colony  from  central  New 
York  who  were  about  locating  in  Knox  County,  ne -ir  Hender- 
son Grove.  We  concluded  to  hasten  on  and  have  an  inter- 


70 

view  with  the  Agents  of  the  Colony,  and  learn  of  them  their 
plans  and  prospects.  "We  arrived  at  the  Grove  after  sundown 
and  put  up  for  the  night. 

"In  a  short  time  after  we  arrived,  the  Rev.  G.  W.  Gale, having 
heard  that  a  company  of  strangers  had  arrived,  cal'ed  on 
us  and  introduced  himself  as  one  of  the  Agents  of  the  Colony. 
After  having  been  informed  that  we  were  from  the  State  of 
Vermont,  and  were  looking  for  a  location  in  the  West  for  our 
future  homes,  if  we  could  find  a  place  to  suit  us,  Mr.  Gale  said 
that  we  would  be  suited,  if  we  united  in  the  enterprise  of  the 
colony,  as  religious  and  literary  privileges  would  be  in  a  short 
time  equal  to  our  best  New  England  towns  and  villages,  and 
he  gave  us  a  strong  invitation  to  hear  his  plans  and  examine 
the  farming  lands  and  the  village  plat ;  and  he  agreed  to  call 
on  us  the  next  morning. 

Mr.  G.  appeared  very  friendly  and  quite  liberal  in  his  views. 
So  we  all  concluded  that  we  would  remain  the  next  day  and 
hear  him  make  a  statement  of  his  plans,  and  take  a  view  of 
the  country.  Mr .  G.  called  on  us  the  next  morning,  there 
being  in  company  with  us  Mr.  Erastus  Swift  of  Vt.,  an  ac- 
quaintance of  ours.  *  *  *  I  introduced  Mr.  Swift  to  him  as  a 
Congregational  Deacon.  Mr.  G.  then  gave  us  a  statement  of 
his  plans.  *  *  *  Some  of  the  company  said  we  had  better 
purchase  lands  outside  of  the  township  at  1.25  per  acre.  Mr. 
G.  argued  that  although  we  should  have  to  pay  a  high  price 
for  the  lands  and  town  lota,  all  the  money  would  go  into  the 
college  fund  for  the  establishment  of  first  class  literary  institu- 
tions on  liberal  principles,  such  as  we  should  all  like,  while 
our  children  and  the  youth  generally  would  receive  great 
privileges.  *  *  *  I  inquired  of  Mr.  G.  how  he  could  expect  his 
plan  to  succeed,  when  there  were  so  many  corteges  about  start- 
in  the  region.  "Oh,"  said  he,  "  thev  are  sectarian  and  cannot 
succeed.  He  then  spake  of  the  Episcopal  College  at  Robin's 
Nest,  and  also  of  the  Presbyterian  College  at  Macomb,  which 
he  said  was  a  sectarian,  bluestocking  concern,  dyed  in  the 
wool,  and  ridiculed  the  idea  of  such  an  institution  ever  flourish- 
ing. *  *  *  I  told  Mr.  G.,  that  one  of  my  motives  for  coming 
West  was,  to  build  up  religious  and  educational  interests,  and 
that  if  I  came,  there  would  probably  be  a  number  of  other 
families  come  with  me.  He  seemed  highly  pleased,  and  said 
that  New  h  ngland  men  were  of  the  right  stamp. 

Deacon  Swift  was  an  ardent  Congregationalist,  and  the  bet- 
ter to  draw  him  (Mr.  G.)  out,  we  had  made  our  denominational 


71 

preferences  quite  prominent,  as  well  as  our  attachment  to  the 
great  reform  movements  of  the  day.  All  his  talk  was  highly 
satisfactory  to  us,  inspiring  us  with  great  confidence  in  his  high- 
minded  and  1  beral  principles,  and  giving  us  assurance  that  the 
institutions  of  learning  to  be  established  here  were  to  be  com- 
mon to  both  our  denominations.  If  Mr.  Gale  had  at  that  time 
asserted  any  claims  to  Presbyterian  predominance,  as  he  now 
does,  we  should  doubtless  have  sought  our  homes  elsewhere. 

After  consultation  and  viewing  the  lands,  we  concluded  that 
we  could  not  better  subserve  the  interests  of  religion  and  edu- 
cation than  to  invest  our  funds  here ;  which  we  accordingly  did. 
I  am  inclined  to  think  that  Mr.  Gale  was  honest  in  his  pledges 
to  us,  and  for  a  number  of  years  he  manifested  his  impartiality 
by  nominating  to  the  Board  such  men  as  he  deemed  fit  for  the 
place,  irrespective  of  their  denominational  preferences.  But 
with  the  growing  sectarianism  of  his  denomination  he  has 
gradually  changed,  till,  as  is  now  seen,  he  does  not  scruple  to 
violate  all  his  former  pledges,  and  to  sacrifice  the  true  in- 
terests of  the  college  to  the  building  up  of  a  sect." 

[jRemark  by  the  Committee. — Col.  Chambers  bought  of  the 
college  400  acres  of  land,  amounting  to  $2,000.] 

MR.  R.  PAYNE  testified:  "I  came  to  Galesburg  in  the  fall 
of  1836.  I  was  in  sentiment  a  Congregationalist,  and  received 
from  Mr.  Gale  similar  statements  and  assurances  with  those 
given  to  Mr.  Chambers;  Nothing  was  said  to  convey  the  idea 
of  Presbyterian  ascendancy." 

MR.  WM.  FERRIS  testified  again :  "  I  came  here  in  the 
spring  of  1837,  from  similar  reasons  to  those  mentioned  by 
Messrs.  Chambers  and  Payne,  and  receiving  the  same  assur- 
ances from  Mr.  Gale.  I  would  not  have  come  otherwise .  The 
same  was  the  universal  feeling  among  the  original  settlers ." 


M 

ORIGINAL  MEMBERSHIP  or  THE  FIRST  CHURCH,  GALES- 
BURG. 

The  church  was  organized  with  82  members,  and,  according 
to  the  items  set  down  in  the  "  Kecords,"  36  brought  letters 
from  Presbyterian  churches,  25  from  Congregational  churches, 
2  came  from  the  Methodists,  1  from  the  Baptists,  and  1 8  were 
received  on  examination.  But  the  church  at  Columbia,  New 


72 

York,  from  which  three  brought  letters,  was  erroneously  con- 
sidered a  Presbyterian  church,  as  will  appear  from  the  following 
document : 

"  I  hereby  certify  that  Col.  Isaac  Mills  and  myself  were  mem- 
bers and  officers  of  the  same  church  in  Columbia,  N.Y.,  at  the  time 
he  left  for  Galesburg.  The  church  was  originally  a  Congrega- 
tional church.  Becoming  weak  by  a  division  of  the  town,  we 
were  told  that  by  electing  elders  and  coming  under  care  of 
Presbytery,  we  could  get  aid  from  the  American  Home 
Missionary  Society.  We  did  so,  and  Col.  Mills  and  myself 
were  elders.  But  the  church  continued  to  receive  members  by 
vote  of  the  brotherhood,  and  discipline  was  by  the  church,  as 
before.  After  Col.  Mills  left  for  Illinois,  the  church  withdrew 
altogether  from  the  Presbytery.  I  therefore  consider  the 
records  of  the  First  Church  of  Galesburg,  which  represent  Col. 
Mills  and  family  as  from  a  Presbyterian  church,  incorrect. 
Signed,  Galesburg,  Oct.  14,  1858.  Chauncey  Adams." 

Deducting,  therefore,  three  from  the  Presbyterian  number, 
and  adding  them,  with  the  one  Baptist,  (who,  as  to  ch'urch 
government,  was  Congregational,)  to  the  other  side,  the  num- 
bers nominally  stand  thus:  Presbyterians  33,  Congregation- 
alists  29. 

Even  then,  we  do  not  have  a  certain  clue  to  the  personal  sen- 
timents of  the  members,  because  many  of  the  Presbyterian 
churches  in  New  York  State  were  formed  on  the  "  Plan  of 
Union,"  and  embraced  a  large  Congregational  membership. 
Hence  we  find  to-day  that  thirteen  of  those  marked  above  as 
coming  from  Presbyterian  churches,  are  earnest  Congre^ation- 
alists.  The  testimony  of  persons  who  participated  in  the  or- 
ganization is,  that  a  majority  preferred  Congi'ogationalism, 
which  is  corroborated  by  the  opposition  which  was  made  at  the 
time  by  Mr.  Gale  to  the  motion  that  the  character  of  the 
church  should  be  decided  by  the  major  vote  of  the  members. 


IV 

EXTRACTS  FROM  RECORDS   OF  FIRST  CHURCH,  GALES- 
BURG, ILL. 

In  corroboration    of  the   assertion  of  various  witnesses  that 
the  church  from  the  beginning  acted  on   the    Congregational 


73 

principle  of  receiving  members  by  a  vote  of  the  entire  brother- 
hood, the  following  Reiolution,  based  on  such  a  practice,  was 
passed  at  the  time  of  organization : 

"  Resolved,  That  it  is  expedient  for  the  sake  of  becoming- 
better  acquainted  with  each  other's  Christian  character,  to  have 
each  one  give  au  account  of  his  hope — those  who  present  let- 
ters, as  well  as  those  who  design  for  the  first  time  to  make  a 
profession  of  religion."  Records  p.  1. 

The  Records  were  not  always  conformed  in  language  by 
those  who  kept  them  (Mr.  Gale  and  others)  to  the  actual  prac- 
tice of  the  church ;  but  to  suit  the  eye  of  Presbytery,  were 
made  to  read  simply  "The  Session  met,"  and  such  and  such 
persons  were  accepted.  But  from  Feb.  1841  to  Feb.  1846, 
under  the  clerkship  of  Nehemiah  West,  they  read  truly,  and  in 
this  form,  "  Church  and  Session  met,"  &c. 

The  inaccuracy  of  the  Records  in  this  particular  and  a  die 
position  evinced  by  some  to  treat  the  church  as  "  purely  Pres- 
byterian," led  in  1845  to  a  serious  difficulty  among  the  mem- 
bers which  threatened  to  defeat  the  erection  of  the  church 
edifice,  the  members  refusing  to  raise  the  frame  after  it  was 
prepared  until  this  matter  was  adjusted.  To  define  ecclesias- 
tical matters  beyond  dispute,  a  series  of  resolutions  was  adopted 
as  a  "Compromise,"  as  follows: 

1.  "That  no  member  shall  hereafter  be  received  into  this 
church  except  at  a  church  meeting,  when  every  member  may 
have  an  equal  vote  in  the  case." 

2.  Makes  the  eldership  rotary. 

3.  Makes  the  deaconship  rotary. 

4.  Gives  an  accused  member  his  choice  of  trial  by  the  Session 
or  by  the  Church. 

5.  Provides  for  the  representation  of  the  church  both  in  the 
Association  and  in  the  Presbytery. 

The  Records  say  of  the  above  articles,  "  After  much  debate 
and  consultation,  they  were  adopted  entire,  unanimously."  pp. 
64—66. 

It  is  evident  from  all  the  testimony,  that  the  church  at 
its  origin  cared  less  for  denominational  forms  and  names  than 
for  religion  and  morals,  and  the  work  of  education  and  reform. 
The  idea  which  united  them  was  that  of  progress  in  the  war 
against  sin.  How  faithful  the  church  remained  to  its  original 
principles,  may  be  learned  from  the  records,  Book  B,  pp.  77, 
78,  where  the  Church  decline  (April  2d,  1853,)  to  send  any 
delegate  to  Presbytery,  until  the  " Presbytery  shall  "satisfy 
4 


74 

the  Session,  that  they  will  forsake  the  Assembly  unless  the 
Assembly  forsakes  Slavery;"  also  do.  p.  190, where  the  church 
(October  6th,  1855,)  hopeless  of  proper  action  by  the  Presby- 
tery, say  "We  declare  our  connection  with  that  body  dissolved." 
Finally  it  appears,  that  Oct.  8th,  1856,  the  word  "Presbyte- 
rian," was  dropped  from  the  name.  Records,  Book  B,  p.  1 95. 


o 

TESTIMONY  OF  MESSES.  J.  DE  LONG  AND  PARKER. 

MR.  J.  DE  LONG  testified ;  "  I  was  elected,  a  number  of 
years  since,  an  elder  of  the  First  Church  in  Galesburg.  Being 
in  principle  a  Congregationalist,  I  objected  to  accepting  the 
office,  because  the  Presbyterian  Book  requires  an  elder,  at  his 
ordination,  to  approve  of  the  form  of  government  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  in  the  United  States .  Therefore  it  was  agreed 
that  the  words  should  be  changed,  and  that  I  should  assent  to 
the  form  of  government  administered  in  this  church ;  which  I 
did,  Mr.  Gale  propounding  the  words  in  their  modified  form." 

Rev.  L.  H.  PARKER  testified:  "I  was  present  when  the 
*  Compromise'  was  adopted,  in  consequence  of  the  dissatisfac- 
tion of  the  Congregational  portion  of  the  church,  because  the 
original  understanding  had  not  been  fully  maintained.  It  was 
decided  that  the  present  elders  and  deacons  should  resign,  that 
thereafter  they  should  be  elected  for  a  term  of  three  years,  that 
members  were  to  be  received  by  vote  of  the  brotherhood,  that 
discipline  should  be  either  by  the  Church  or  Session,  as  the  per- 
son might  elect,  with  an  appeal  to  either  a  council  or  the  Presby- 
tery, but  not  beyond,  and  that  the  church  should  be  represented 
both  in  Presbytery  and  Association.  I  had  personal  knowledge 
of  the  case  of  Mr.  De  Long,  being  the  stated  supply  of  the 
church  at  the  time,  and  present  on  the  occasion,  and  know  that 
his  account  of  the  concession  made  to  him  is  correct."  . 


EXTRACTS  FROM  MANUAL  OF  FIRST  CHURCH,  Gr ALES- 
BURG,  1849. 

To  show  that  the  church  was,  in  membership  and  methods 
of  procedure,  always  largely  Congregational,  we  quote  from 


75 

the  "  Manual"  prepared  by  Mr.  Gale,  and  with  his  name  on  the 
title  page,  several  passages  corroborating  that  view.  The 
manual  was  prepared  before  the  present  conflict  arose,  and  its 
testimony  is  therefore  the  more  reliable. 

"In  the  prosecution  of  the  'plan  for  establishing  Literary 
Institutions  in  the  West,'  a  purchase  of  land  was  made, 
where  Galesburg  now  stands,  by  a  committee  sent  out  for 
that  purpose,  in  Oct.  1835.  It  was  undertaken  by  minis- 
ters, elders  and  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  chiefly  in 
Central  and  Western  New  York.  A  few  brethren  of  the  Con- 
gregational churches,  were  among  the  number. .  In  all  there 
were  about  30  families.  By  some,  it  was  thought  best  to  form 
a  church  of  the  proposed  emigrants,  and  select  a  pastor  before 
leaving  New  York.  It  was,  however,  on  further  consideration, 
thought  best  to  omit  it,  until  they  should  arrive  at  their  new 
homes  in  the  West.  It  was  well  that  this  prevailed,  as  a  con- 
siderable number  of  the  families  found  themselves  unable  to 
remove."  p.  13. 

"The  Rev.  John  Waters  arrived  in  the  winter  with  his 
family,  having  been  detained  by  the  illness  of  his  daughter, 
east  of  the  Illinois  river.  Mr.  Waters  was  one  of  those  who 
joined  the  enterprise,  at  an  early  period,  and  who,  though  ad- 
vanced in  years,  did  not  hesitate  to  encounter  the  trials  and 
privations  inseparable  from  such  an  undertaking,  to  aid  such 
an  object.  His  assistance  in  the  settlement,  was  timely  and 
acceptable."  p.  15. 

"  The  articles  of  faith  now  used  by  the  church  were  adopted, 
and  82  persons  united — 18  on  confession,  chiefly  the  fruits  of 
the  revival  above  mentioned,  and  the  rest  by  letter  from  Pres- 
byterian and  Congregational  churches  at  the  East."  p.  16. 

"  The  remaining  part  of  the  summer,  and  in  the  fall,  the 
pulpit  was  supplied  chiefly  by  Mr.  Marsh,  a  licentiate  of  Knox 
Presbytery,  and  Rev.  J.  Waters.  Mr.  Hollister,  a  Congrega- 
tional minister,  residing  in  a  neighboring  town,  was  employed 
during  the  winter.  Early  in  the  succeeding  summer,  the  Rev. 
Lucius  H.  Parker,  a  Congregational  minister  from  the  East, 
arrived  with  his  family  and  was  employed  for  one  year,  and 
again  employed  till  late  in  the  fall  of  1845.  During  this 
period,  viz:  from  July,  1843,  to  the  close  of  the'year  1845, 
34  persons  were  added;  all  but  7  by  letter.  29  were  dismiss- 
ed, 1  suspended,  5  died,  and  24  infants  were  baptized.  In 
the  summer  of  1845,  dissatisfaction  arose  among  some  part  of 
the  church  in  relation  to  the  government — a  portion  of  them 


76 

being,  by  education  and  preference,  Congregationalists.  The 
discussion  resulted  in  the  modification  of  the  government, 
called  a  compromise,  the  substance  of  which  is  as  follows : — 

1 .  All  the  members  may  have  a  voice  in  the  reception  of 
candidates  into  the  church. 

2.  The  eldership  shall  be  rotary r,  each  holding  his  office  in 
the  church,  for  3  years;  when  he  may  be  re-elected,  or  some 
one  else  chosen  in  his  stead.     The  Deacons,  subject  to  the 
same  rule. 

3.  Any  member,  when  cited  for  trial,  may,  if  he  chooses, 
be  tried  by  tbe  adult  members  of  the  church  instead  of  the 
session ;  but  in  such  cases,  he  can  have  no  right  of  appeal_to 
Presbytery . 

4.  The  church  may  choose  delegates  to  the  Association. 
Few  discussions  of   this  nature  could  be. conducted  with 

more  moderation  than  this,  or  terminate  more  happily ;  and 
well  it  might.  While  the  compromise  secures  to  the  portion 
of  the  church,  who  desired  a  change,  all  the  privileges  they 
could  reasonably  ask,  it  leaves  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the 
others  unimpaired.  It  had  always  been  customary  to  examine 
persons  applying  for  admission,  in  the  presence  of  the  church, 
and  for  them  by  vote  to  express  their  satisfaction  with  the 
candidate."  pp.  19—20. 

"  Such  was  the  expedient  adopted  to  preserve  the  unity  of 
the  church.  The  time  may  come  when  numbers  and  other 
considerations,  may  justify  a  separation,  but  that  time  has 
not  yet  arrived."  p.  20. 


TESTIMONY   OF  PRESIDENT  BLANCHAED.    (Continued.) 

PRES.  BLANCHARD  testified  further:  I  visited  Galesburg  some 
six  months  before  my  election  as  President  of  Knox  College,  to 
wit,  in  April,  1845.  I  then  told  Professors  Gale  and  Losey  that 
I  was  in  sentiment  a  Congregationalist,  and  that  if  I  left  Cin- 
cinnati 1  should  never  join  Presbytery.  Prof.  Gale's  History 
of  the  College  was  sent  to  me  to  Cincinnati  for  publication.  I 
was  to  superintend  the  printing  and  correct  any  infelicities  of 
style,  but  nothing  more.  Nor  could  I,  from  want  of  knowledge, 
possibly  do  any  more,  accurately  and  honestly,  and  there  was 
then  no  motive  surely,  or  even  method,  of  a  successful  alteration 
dishonestly.  How  absurd  the  idea  that  I,  a  stranger  to  Gales- 


77 

burg,  having  cnly  visited  it  for  a  few  days  six  months  before, 
should  undertake  to  modify  the  history  of  the  settlement  and 
college.  I  made  no  alterations,  unless  it  were  verbal  ones 
affecting  style  only.  The  original  manuscript  was  not  preserved 
but  was  left  in  the  printer's  hands. 

I  am  acquainted  with  Mr.  J.  P.  Willis  ton  and  with  the  circum- 
stances in  which  he  came  to  the  aid  of  the  college.  It  was  in 
its  darkest  hour,  when  one  dollar  of  aid  was  of  more  value  to  the 
institution,  than  many  dollars  now.  He  is  a  member  and  officer 
of  the  1st  Congregational  church,  Northampton,  Mass.,  a  per- 
sonal friend  of  my  own,  and  made  his  donation  from  sympathy 
with  the  reformatory  spirit  of  the  college,  and  with  the  under- 
standing that  Congregationalists  were  equally  concerned  in  the 
college  with  Presbyterians.  He  has  recently  written  me  a 
letter  in  which  he  charges  the  Presbyterians  with  perverting 
his  donations  by  their  sectarian  action. 

I  was  also  acquainted  with  Judge  Phelps,  who,  at  a  later 
period,  donated  land  to  the  college  to  the  value  of  $30,000. 
Though  not  a  church  member  he  was  in  sentiment  a  Congrega- 
tionalist,  and  attended  worship  for  many  years  at  a  Congrega- 
tional church  in  Vermont,  till,  a  difficulty  arising,  he  went 
with  his  wife  to  a  Baptist  church.  He  assured  me  himself 
that  his  Congregational  principles  had  undergone  no  change. 
He  died  at  Cincinnati." 


R 

CERTIFIED  LIST  OF    THE  PURCHASERS  OF    THE  FARM 
LANDS  OF  KNOX  COLLEGE. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  original  endowment  of  the  college 
was  by  the  sale  of  the  Farm  lands,  (each  piece  of  80  acres  carry- 
ing with  it  a  scholarship  for  twenty-five  years)  to  those  settlers 
who  came  during  the  early  years  of  the  enterprise,  and  who 
chose  to  pay  five  dollars  there,  in  order  to  endow  the  college, 
instead  of  purchasing  at  a  less  price  elsewhere.  They  paid  the 
money  which  started  the  college,  and  they  did  it  for  that  very 
purpose.  If,  now,  we  can  obtain  a  correct  list  of  those  who 
actually  paid  for  land  and  took  deeds  for  the  same,  and  can 
ascertain  their  personal  sentiments  as  to  denominational  pecu- 
liarities, we  can  decide  in  what  proportion  the  endowment  was 
furnished  by  Congregationalists  and  in  what  proportion  by 


78 

Presbyterians.  The  Committee  have  the  means  of  stating  the 
facts  on  this  subject  more  fully  and  certainly  than  any  who 
have  heretofore  professed  to  be  familiar  with  them — far  more 
so  than  Prof  Gale  or  the  Presbytery  which  examined  his  papers. 

We  have  a  list  of  all  the  actual  purchasers,  drawn  from  the 
County  Records,  and  certified  to  be  correct  by  Thos.  N.  Ay  res  & 
Son,  Real  Estate  Agents,  to  which  is  added  a  minute  plan  or 
plat  of  all  these  lands  and  their  subdivisions,  with  the  names  of 
purchasers  inserted  in  the  proper  places. 

This  list  has  been  examined  by  six  of  the  early  settlers,  men 
of  standing  in  Galesburg,  and  personally  acquainted  with  those 
named,  who  have  arranged  the  names  in  classes  according  to 
denominational  preferences,  appending  the  following  certificate : 

GALESBURG,  Sept.  24,  1858. 

We  hereby  certify  that  the  accompanying  statement  of  the 
purchase  of  the  Farm  lands  originally  entered  for  Knox  College, 
has  been  prepared  under  our  inspection,  and  by  us  compared 
with  a  plat  of  the  said  entry  made  and  certified  by  Thos.  N. 
Ayres  &  Son,  and  also  with  our  personal  knowledge  and  recol- 
lection of  the  facts ;  and  the  same  is,  according  to  our  best 
knowledge  and  belief,  correct. 

ELI  FARNHAM. 

HENRY  FERRIS. 

C.  S.  COLTON. 

ROSWELL  PAYNE. 

L.  SANDERSON. 

MATTHEW  CHAMBERS. 
Their  statement  is  as  follows : — 

PURCHASERS  WHO   SUSTAIN-  THE  TWO  CONGREGATIONAL 
CHURCHES  IN  GALESBURG. 

Thos.  Simmons,  200  acres;  Jones  Harding,  160;  C.  S.  Col- 
ton  80;  A  very  family  320;  Samuel  Hitchcock,  80 ;  M.  Cham- 
bers, 400;  Eli  Farnham,  160;  S.  Tompkins,  120;  L.  Sander- 
son, 160;  A.Tyler,  80;  H.  Wilcox,  80;  John  G.  West  80;  R. 
Payne,  160;  James  Jerould,  80;  Henry  Ferris,  280;  Joel  Mar- 
tin, 120;  Rev.  John  Waters,  400;  Mills  family,  200;  A.  C. 
Higgins,  80;  Henry  Groescup,  90;  J.  Blancha'rd,  160;  Wm. 
M.  Ferris,  80;  L.  Gary,  80;  A.  B.  Clark,  40.  Total,  3,690 
acres  at  $5  — $18,450. 

[Remark  by  Committee. — The  Rev.  John  Waters,  named 
above,  is  nominally  a  Presbyterian,  not  having  dissolved  his 


79 

connection  with  Presbytery,  but  be  attends  and  supports  the 
First  Congregational  Churcb  in  Galesburg,  (Rev.  Dr.  E.  Beech- 
er's)  of  which  his  wife  is  a  member,  and  he  espouses  the  Con- 
gregational side  in  the  present  controversy.] 

Known  Congregational  pur  chasers  dead  or  absent. — Leonard 
Chappell,  120  acres;  Barber- Allen,  320;  Dr.  Pomroy,  80; 
Dea.  Swift,  400;  S.  Pomroy,  160;  W.  B.  Hamlin,  80;  Wm. 
E.  Holyoke,  80;  Hugh  Conger,  80.  Total,  1,320  acres  at  $5 
—$6,600. 

Other  Purchasers  not  Presbyterians. — Sher.  Williams,  240 
acres;  R.  Root,  80;  Wm.  Lee,  (Baptist)  160;  C.  Finch,  120; 
Mr.  Lee,  80;  N.  Dimmed  Ferns,  80;  —  Dutton,  80;  Wm. 
B.  Patterson,  120;  —  Thirl  well,  40;  S.  Richardson,  40.  To- 
tal, 1,040  acres  at  $5 — $5,200. 

Purchasers  who  were  never  Residents;  sentiments  not 
known. — A.  N.  Randall,  320  acres;  A.  G.  Pierson,  80;  M. 
Camp,  80 ;  —  Kinney,  80 ;  —  Pettibone,  40 ;  A.  Robbins, 
80;  Mr.  Fitch,  80.  Total,  760  acres  at  $5— $3,800. 

Individual  who  does  not  wish  to  be  classed. — G.  W.  G.  Fer- 
ris, 300  acres  at  $5 — $1,500. 

Presbyterian  Purchasers.— N.  H.  Losey,  120  acres;  — 
McMullen,  80;  —  Kellogg,  400;  G.  W.  Gale,  240;  —  Frost, 
80;  N.  West,  120;  Esq.  Ferris,  240;  —  Grant,  80;  W.  A. 
Wood,  120.  Total,  1,480  acres  at  $5— $7,400. 

RECAPITULATION. 

Congregational  Purchasers, $25,050 

Presbyterian, V00 

Various' denominations, ---   5,200 

Unknown  and  nonresident,  -  -  -  VT>:  -  -  -  -  3,800 
M  ot  wishing  to  be  classed, 1,500 

Total, $42,950 


S 
LETTER  FROM   J.  P.  WILLISTON,  ESQ. 

NORTHAMPTON,  MASS.,  Nov.  12,  1858. 

Rev.  WM.  W.  PATTON— Dear  Sir,  In  answer  to  your  in- 
quiries'I  have  to  say,  that  I  am  a  Deacon  in  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  which  Rev.  "Jonathan  Edwards  was  once  a 


80 

pastor.  I  have  never  been  a  member  of  any  other  church. 
My  preferences  are  in  favor  of  my  own  denomination,  though 
when  I  first  became  interested  in  Knox  College,  I  supposed  it 
was  not  and  would  not  be,  either  a  Congregational  or  Presby- 
terian institution.  I  was  given  to  understand,  that  it  would 
be  eminently  a  Christian  college,  one  that  good  men  of  differ- 
ent sects,  who  aimed  at  a  higher  tone  of  Christian  morals, 
would  heartily  support.  When  Mr.  Gale  solicited  my  interest 
in  its  behalf,  he  represented  himself  and  the  people  in  Gales- 
burg  as  sympathizing  deeply  in  the  cause  of  anti-slavery  and 
temperance,  of  which  he  knew  I  was  an  earnest  friend.  He 
represented  that  the  Society  for  helping  Western  Colleges 
was  not  disposed  to  put  Knox  College  on  their  list,  and  that 
as  they  professed  to  aid  such  colleges  as  were  most  worthy, 
they  engrossed  the  funds  that  otherwise  he  might  have  got. 

His  collections  were  small  when  I  saw  him,  and  one  of  my 
first  donations  was,  a  set  of  classical  books  for  the  use  of  the 
first  class,  then  about  entering  college,  which  were  afterwards 
to  be  loaned  to  succeeding  classes.  For  several  years  after, 
while  the  college  had  few  friends  and  less  money,  I  made  it  a 
special  object  of  my  regard,  and  the  more  because  it  was  not  a 
favorite  with  the  Western  Collegiate  Society,  and  seemed  to 
have  more  sympathy  with  unpopular  Christian  truths  than 
most  other  colleges,  and  afforded  greater  facilities  to  poor  stu- 
dents. 

The  election  of  Mr.  Blanch ard  to  the  Presidency  greatly 
increased  my  interest  in  its  welfare.  I  ceased  my  pecuniary 
aid,  only  when,  from  the  great  increase  of  its  landed  property, 
it  did  not  seem  to  require  it.  I  deeply  regret,  that  with  its 
increase  of  wealth,  a  change  has  come  over  some  of  its  earliest 
friends— that  they  now  seem  to  have  less  sympathy  with 
Christ's  poor,  and  especially  that  they  are  endeavoring  to 
monopolize  for  the  interest  of  a  sect,  what  was  given  not  to 
Paul  or  Apollos  but  to  Christ. 

Very  respectfully  yours,  J.  P.  WILLISTON. 


81 


T 

EXTRACT  FEOM  FEINTED  CIECULAE  OF  PLAN  OF  A  THE- 
OLOGICAL SEMINARY  IN  THE  .NOETH-WEST. 

This  circular  is  signed  R.  W.  Patterson  and  W.  H.  Brown, 
and  is  dated  Chicago,  Dec.  16,  1851,  and  was  "  to  be  sent  to 
all  the  members  of  the  Pre.sbyteries  connected  with  the  synods 
of  Illinois,  Peoria  and  Missouri."  It  says: — 

"In  May,  A.  D.  1850,  a  Convention  was  held  in  Chicago, 
for  considering  the  expediency  of  taking  measures  to  establish 
a  Theological  Seminary  in  the  North- West.  At  that  meeting 
it  was  unanimously  resolved  that  the  time  had  come  when 
incipient  steps  should  be  taken  with  reference  to  this  object, 
and  a  standing  Committee  of  five,  consisting  of  Rev.  Messrs. 
G.  W.  Gale,  8.  G.  Spees,  R.  W.  Patterson,  and  L.  H.  Loss, 
and  Elder  Ralph  Ware,  of  Granville,  ill.,  was  appointed  to 
take  such  further  measures  on  the  subject  as  they  might  deem 
expedient.  Also,  Committees  were  appointed  to  visit  the 
synods  above  named,"  &c. 

From  the  plan  of  the  Seminary  we  extract  article  V.,  §  1, 
in  part. 

"  Each  Presbytery  of  the  constitutional  Presbyterian  church 
within  the  States  of  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  or  the 
Territories  adjacent,  that  shall  approve  this  constitution  and 
contribute  to  the  support  of  the  Seminary,  shall  be  entitled  to 
choose  one  Director." 


u 

EXTEACT      FEOM     LlTEEAEY    ADDEESS     OF    REV.      ME. 

BLANCHAED,  APPENDED  TO  GALE'S  "  HISTOEY." 

"  But  who  does  not  see  that  the  moment  when  it  becomes 
inconsistent  with  the  prosperity  of  a  college,  or  a  church,  or 
society,  to  make  open  war  on  all  manner  of  sin,  that  moment 
the  Institution  becomes  anti-Christ  in  its  bearings  on  the  com- 
munity ;  and  ought  either  to  be  reformed  by  God's  children,  or 
abandoned  ?  For  the  object  and  end  for  which  such  institutions 
are  established,  is,  or  should  be,  to  remove  ignorance,  error, 
and  sin ;  and  establish  their  opposites :  and  that  not  by  skilful 
4* 


82 

indirection  and  adroit  and  cunning  management,  but  by  open 
honorable,  and  holy  instruction. — And  the  moment  when  it 
becomes  inconsistent  with  their  prosperity  to  oppose  evil; 
those  institutions  have  changed  their  nature  and  ought  to  lose 
their  support:  for,  besides,  that  they  fail  of  answering  the  just 
end  for  which  such  institutions  were  founded,  they  teach 
Christians,  by  force  of  their  ill  example,  to  subordinate  the  truth 
to  sect;  a  "church  leprosy  which  must  be  healed  before 
Christ's  kingdom  will  come."  p.  26. 

"  The  mind  of  the  church  or  of  the  student,  is  apt  to  follow 
that  of  their  teachers.  But  the  mind  of  the  non-committalist 
teacher,  instinctively  shuns  controverted  truths,  that  is,  truths 
which  meet  the  opposition  because  they  conflict  with  the  sin- 
ful ways  of  men : — he  will  lead  the  minds  of  his  hearers  to 
contemplate  distant  sins,  or  sins  already  universally  decried; 
long-exploded  errors,  and  often  the  sins  and  errors  of  the  past 
generation;  for  the  sins  of  the  present  generation  are  commonly 
"  exciting  subjects"  and  must  be  treated  " in  the  abstract" 
Non-committal  mind  shuns  to  consider  the  wickedness  of  the 
present  day  and  hour,  unless  it  be  some  evil  practice  which  is 
already  s©  commonly  spoken  against,  that  none  will  take  offence 
at  hearing  its  condemnation  repeated."  p,  26. 

"  Thus  the  young,  and  ardent,  and  powerful,  and  balanced 
minds;  those  whom  God  has  qualified,  and  whom  reforms 
need  for  leaders,  are  the  very  class  which  this  silent  policy  of 
our  public  institutions  is  burying  from  the  moving  host  of  God, 
in  the  living  grave  of  moral  non-committalism. 

The  result  is,  that  reforms  (for  reforms  God  has  ordained 
there  shall  be)  are  often  thrown  into  the  hands  of  men  and 
women,  of  defective  minds,  which  yet  see  moral  principles  with 
great  clearness,  and  will  not  rest  in  silence  while  they  are 
trampled  on.  Thus,  it  is  the  non-committal  clergy,  not  Abo- 
litionists, who  give  fanatical  men  and  women  their  vocation, 
so  far  as  they  influence  the  honest  and  the  good.  On  the 
Christian  battle  field,  where  truth  and  falsehood,  sin  and  holi- 
ness grapple,  it  is  because  the  qualified  leaders  retire  from  the 
very  point  of  action,  in  an  army  which  is  conscious  of  the 
goodness  of  its  cause,  and,  leaders  or  no  leaders,  is  determined 
to  fight — that  fanatics  find  followers  among  the  righteous  and 
the  sane."  p.  28. 

"  All  Christendom  is  now  one  vast  deliberative  body,  trying 
the  question:  "  Shall  the  wicked  triumph?"  and  every  silent 
voter  is  counted  in  the  affirmative.  The  only  circumstance 


83 

which  can  prevent  those  who  are  silent  on  questions  of  reform 
from  strengthening  the  wrong  cause,  is  utter  insignificance — 
that  they  influence  nobody — are  regarded  by  nobody — but 
are  mere  unnoticed  dust  on  the  balances  of  public  opinion." 
p.  28. 

"  That  this  is  true,  appears  from  this  plain  fact,  that  when  a 
public  man,  or  public  seminary  takes  pains  to  suppress  or  shun 
any  question  of  reform,  it  gives  the  testimony  of  its  example 
against  the  discussion  of  that  question ;  and  implies  a  censure 
on  all  who  take  part  in  it.  And  this  is  all  the  protection 
sin  asks.  For  sin  does  not  propagate  itself  by  arguments  ad- 
dressed to  men's  understandings,  but  by  lures  and  temptations 
presented  to  their  interests,  appetites  and  passions.  Let  sin 
alone  and  it  will  spread.  To  defend  it,  is  to  expose."  p.  29. 

"  If  then,  I  am  asked,  *  What  ought  our  College  and  Semi- 
nary faculties  to  do  for  reform  ? '  With  the  utmost  simplicity 
and  directness  I  reply : 

"  Those  Faculties  ought  to  lead  their  students,  both  by  pre- 
cept and  example,  to  take  the  simple  ground  of  opposition  to 
prevailing  sins,  which  truth  demands,  and  to  do  their  utmost, 
by  prayer  and  instruction,  to  infuse  into  the  youth  a  zeal  for 
reformation  which  will  enable  them  to  breast  the  after  opposi- 
tion which  they  will  meet  from  the  world.  We  want  a  martyr 
age  of  Colleges  and  Seminaries  to  send  forth  a  host  of  young 
men  at  the  sound  of  whose  goings  the  whole  land  shall  tremble 
— men  who  will  not  rest  while  one  way  or  practice  in  the 
community  violates  the  law  of  God — who  will  toil  for  Christ 
as  assiduously  as  the  minions  of  Popery  drudge  for  the  man  of 
Sin ;  and  who  will  withstand  established  evils  meekly,  openly 
and  boldly,  as  Luther  withstood  his  accusers  at  the  Diet  of 
Worms."  "p.  29. 

SECOND  EXTRACT  FROM  INAUGURAL  ADDRESS  OF  DR. 

CURTIS. 

"  One  other  topic  demands  a  moment's  consideration.  What 
should  be  the  relation  of  the  College  to  the  various  controver- 
ted questions  of  the  day,  in  things  ecclesiastical  and  moral  ?  My 
own  settled  convictions  are,  that  the  college  is  not  the  place, 
and  this  early  stage  of  education  is  not  the  fitting  time,  in 
which  to  inculcate  distinctive  opinions  on  doubtful  or  contested 
points,  either  in  religion  or  morals.  As  in  intellectual,  so^in 
religious  and  moral  matters,  the  college  is  the  place  in  which 


84 

to  lay  foundations.  Let  pupils  be  trained  to  a  clear  apprehen- 
sion of  their  personal  responsibility;  let  a  high  sense  of  honor 
be  inculcated,  and  an  inflexible  regard  for  truth  and  right;  let 
pure  sentiments,  and  a  quick  and  correct  moral  sense  be  culti- 
vated; let  the  principles  and  practical  teachings  of  the  Word 
of  God  be  made  familiar  to  the  mind;  and  then,  superadded 
to  this,  let  gentlemanly  manners  and  a  courteous  deportment 
and  address  be  formed ;  and  withal  a  habit  of  independent 
thought,  and  bold,  frank,  manly  utterance,  so  it  be  also  kind 
and  conciliatory ;  and  we  may  safely  leave  the  rest  to  time,  and 
free  individual  action.  I  have  great  faith  in  truth,  and  con- 
science, and  Providence,  and  free  thought,  and  human  pro- 
gress. If  right  principles  be  inculcated,  and  pnre  sentiments, 
we  need  not  fear  but  right  conclusions  will  be  reached  by  each 
individual  acting  for  himself.  Teachers  in  public  institutions, 
like  other  men,  may  form  their  own  opinions  on  every  question 
of  religion,  or  reform,  or  politics;  and  may  utter  or  publish 
those  opinions  at  their  discretion,  in  fitting  ways  and  on  appro- 
priate occasions.  But  they  should  not  compromise  the  char- 
acter of  the  college  by  becoming  propagandists  of  any  individ- 
ual or  partizan  peculiarities,  nor  should  the  college  chapel,  or 
lecture  or  recitation  rooms  be  misappropriated  to  the  inculca- 
tion of  any  such  peculiarities.  We  may  mold  children  and 
youth,  before  they  are  ripened  into  maturity,  in  almost  any 
shape,  and  stamp  on  them  almost  any  impression  we  please. 
But  we  only  make  them  small  bigots,  and  self-confident  dog- 
matists, by  such  a  process.  It  is  better  to  teach  a  young  man 
how  to  reason  correctly,  and  then  leave  him  to  do  the  reason- 
ing himself,  than  to  reason  for  him.  It  is  better  to  discipline 
his  mind  to  careful  investigation,  and  to  sound  logical  deduc- 
tions, and  then,  with  a  well  instructed  conscience,  and  a  warm 
heart,  and  an  honest  attachment  to  whatever  is  true  and  right, 
to  send  him  forth  into  the  world  to  meet  questions  as  they 
arise,  to  face  facts,  and  hear  arguments,  and  weigh  consequen- 
ces; and  if  he  does  not  decide  as  we  would  have  him,  it  may 
become  us  to  review  our  own  judgments  before  we  condemn, 
liberty  of  thought  as  tending  to  error —  before  we  conclude  to 
put  the  minds  of  youth  in  straight  jackets  while  in  their 
forming  state,  lest  they  should  not  think  as  we  do. 

"  If  we  would  form  men  of  strong  minds,  self-reliant  and 
well  balanced,  accustomed  to  reason  soundly  and  to  act  intelli- 
gently; men  discreet  and  wise;  we  must  not  forestal  their 
judgment,  and  pre-occupy  their  minds  with  our  conclusions. 


85 


It  does  not  argue  very  much  confidence  in  the  correctness  of 
our  own  views,  if  we  are  unwilling  to  have  others,  and  espec- 
ially our  youth,  reason  and  judge,  and  decide  for  themselves." 


LETTER    FROM    KEY.   DR.    CHAPIN,     PRESIDENT    OF 
BELOIT   COLLEGE. 

NEW  LONDON,  Oct.  25,  1858. 

REV.  W.  "W.  PATTON,  Chairman,  &c. 

Dear  Brother,  Your  note  of  the  8th  inst.  inquiring  as  to  the 
correctness  of  the  statements  respecting  Beloit  College,  made 
in  Dr.  Curtis'  Inaugural  Address,  reached  me  a  few  days  ago, 
forwarded  from  Beloit. 

I  read  the  statements  to  which  you  refer,  with  the  utmost 
surprise  and  regret.  Standing  as  they  do  unqualified  and 
unexplained,  they  convey  an  impression  whieh  is  altogether 
false  to  the  origin,  the  history,  and  the  entire  policy  and  spirit 
of  Beloit  College.  I  cannot  understand  how  Dr.  Curtis  could 
have  made  the  statements. 

Beloit  College  was  founded  before  the  denominational  spirit 
had  awakened,  in  any  great  degree,  jealousy  and  competition 
between  brethren  of  the  N.  S.  Presbyterian  and  Congregational 
churches.  In  the  Conventions  whose  counsels  originated  the 
enterprise,  these  two  branches  of  the  church  were  heartily 
united.  In  the  Board  of  Trustees,  as  originally  constituted 
and  as  modified  by  subsequent  changes,  they  have  been  repre- 
sented in  equal  proportion.  From  the  first,  its  Faculty  has 
been  composed  of  men  free  from  denominational  bias  either 
way,  hearty  in  their  sympathy  and  readiness  to  co-operate 
with  both  denominations  for  the  promotion  of  sound  learning 
and  true  piety.  All  the  counsels  of  both  the  Trustees  and  the 
Faculty  have  been  characterized  by  singular  unanimity.  No 
jar  or  discord  has  hitherto  occurred  to  disturb  the  peace  and 
prosperity  of  the  college.  No  partisan  action,  no  positive 
influence  has  gone  forth  to  favor  one  more  than  the  other  of 
these  kindred  branches  of  the  church.  It  has  drawn  its 
resources  and  patronage  from  both,  and  has,  I  trust,  contribu- 
ted to  the  welfare  of  both.  Through  all  its  progress,  the  aim 
has  been  single  and  constant;  in  an  unsectional,  unsectarian, 
catholic  spirit,  to  build  up  as  rapidly  and  securely  as  possible, 


86 

an  institution  for  imparting  a  thorough,  liberal  education  in 
literature  and  science,  and  the  common  faith  of  the  gospel. 
Such  being  the  origin  and  policy  of  the  college,  I  do  not  hesi- 
tate to  say  that  it  has  not  been  and  cannot  be  used  for  any 
partisan  purpose  whatever.  It  cannot  be  claimed  by  either 
division  of  the  church  as  exclusively  its  own.  It  cannot  justly 
be  charged  with  being  controlled  by  either,  or  giving  its  influ- 
ence in  favor  of  one  more  than  of  the  other.  It  belongs  to 
both.  It  is  governed  by  the  views  and  principles  common  to 
both. 

We  rejoice  that  the  college  was  founded  when  such  a  union 
was  practicable,  when  this  policy  could  be  adopted.  However 
the  denominational  spirit  may  rise  and  run  its  course,  I  confi- 
dently believe  there  will  be  no  occasion  nor  disposition  to 
change  the  policy  of  Beloit  College.  I  am  confident  its 
brightest  prosperity  will  be  secured  by  maintaining  its  position 
aloof  from  any  direct  ecclesiastical  or  denominational  control, 
and  by  conducting  its  operations  free  from  the  intermixture  of 
either  State  or  church  politics,  free,  too,  from  any  bias  of 
influence  to  objects  unworthy  of  the  character  and  design  of  a 
Christian  college.  Very  truly  yours, 

A.  L.  CHAPIN, 
President  of  Beloit  College. 


w 

LETTER  or  PRES.   BLANCHARD  AND   CERTIFICATE   OF 
REV.  MR.  BASCOM. 

The  following  letters  were  published  in  the  Oalesburg 
Democrat,  October  15,  1857,  and  fully  confirm  Dr.  Beech er  in 
the  only  specific  assertion  attempted  to  be  disproved  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox.  The  Committee  are  not 
aware  that  any  reply  was  ever  made  in  behalf  of  the  Presby- 
tery. 

To  the  Rev.  E.  BEECHER,  D.  D. 

Dear  Brother:  Sometime  previous  to  the  year  1851,  the 
Revr.  F.  Bascom  then  pastor  of  the  First  Church  in  Galesburg, 
desiring  to  put  an  end  to  existing  difficulties,  drew  up  a  paper 
in  the  nature  of  a  confession  and  requested  Mr.  (then  Prof.) 
Gale  to  sign  it  that  it  might  be  read  to  the  church  as  an  end 
of  controversy.  The  confessions  in  the  paper  were  general. 


87 

The  most  important  point  in  it  was  a  pledge  to  a  future  broth- 
erly walk.  Mr.  Bascom  informed  me  that  Mr.  Gale  had  con- 
sented to  sign  the  paper  if  I  signed  it.  I  signed  the  paper. 
Mr.  Bascom  came  to  me  again  saying  that  Mr.  Gale  had  with- 
drawn his  consent  and  now  refused  to  sign  the  paper,  and 
wished  to  know  if  I  was  willing  to  have  it  read  in  Church 
meeting  with  my  name  alone  attached.  I  replied  that  I  \vas. 
It  was  so  read  and  the  church  unanimously  voted  that  I  had 
done  what  was  my  duty  in  the  matter. 

Not  very  long  afterwards  I  saw  (as  T  had  not  before)  that  in 
publicly  exposing  Mr.  Gale's  course  toward  myself,  without  first 
seeking  by  Christian  labor  to  bring  him  to  repentance,  I  had 
neglected  divine  precepts;  and  in  hating  him  for  injuring  me, 
I  had  also  sinned.  Both  these  things  I  confessed,  as  soon  as  I 
saw  them,  to  Mr.  Gale  and  to  the  church. 

Seeing  that  matters  were  not  yet  reconciled,  April  1851,  1 
went  to  a  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Peoria  and  Knox  at 
Kuoxville,  and  asked  leave  of  the  Presbytery  to  table  charges 
against  Mr.  Gale. 

After  discussson,  a  majority  of  the  members  agreed  to  give 
me  leave.  As  it  would  require  a  long  time  and  several  meet- 
ings to  put  the  case  through  the  regular  forms,  I  requested 
Presbytery  to  grant  a  summary  hearing  and  give  an  advisory 
judgment,  pledging  myself  to  abide  by  it.  Presbytery  did  as 
I  requested,  and  heard  us  nearly  two  whole  days.  After  stat- 
ing and  supporting  my  charges,  I  distinctly  informed  Presby- 
tery that  it  was  not  my  wish  to  induce  them  to  depose  Mr. 
Gale,  but  that  they  should  induce  him  to  live  and  act  like  a 
Christian. 

The  Presbytery  came  to  a  unanimous  result,  the  point  of 
which  was,  that,  in  their  judgment  I  had  done  right  in  con- 
fessing, and  in  reference  to  him  used  the  words,  "  We  indulge 
the  hope  that  Br.  Gale  will  see  it  to  be  his  duty  to  do  the  same" 

Mr.  Gale  and  myself  were  then  called  in  and  the  result  of 
Presbytery  read  to  us.  As  it  was  couched  in  mild  and 
conciliatory  language,  and  to  remove  all  doubt  as  to  what  was 
done  by  Presbytery,  I  arose  and  addressed  the  moderator  in 
nearly  these  words: 

"Presbytery  say  that  I  have  done  "right  in  confessing  my 
sins  in  these  difficulties  to  Mr.  Gale  and  to  the  church,"  and 
Presbytery  express  the  hope  that  Mr.  Gale  will  do  the  same ." 
"Do  the  Presbytery  then  mean  that  Mr.  Gale  owes  a  confes- 
sion to  myself  and  to  the  church  at  Galesburg  ?" 


88 

Father  Miles  (the  moderator)  said,  "  the  members  could  an- 
swer for  themselves."  He  then  called  each  member  by  him- 
self and  every  one  answered  "  Yes" 

Since  that  time  Mr.  Gale  has  never  said  one  word  to  me  on 
the  subject,  more  or  less !  , 

The  recent  attempt  of  Presbytery  to  do  away  the  effect  of 
its  righteous  action  in  that  case — because,  at  my  request,  it 
was  advisory;  and  their  justifying  Mr.  Gale  in  contemning 
their  own  just  decision  in  order  to  cover  his  recent  proceedings; 
would  in  men  of  the  world  be  deemed  poor,  paltering  and 
contemptible. 

Yours  in  the  affections  of  Christ, 

J.  BLANCHARD. 

MR.  BASCOM'S  CERTIFICATE. 

I  certify  as  having  been  at  the  time  clerk  of  presbytery  that  the 
account  given  above  by  Pres.  Blanchard  of  the  interpretation 
given  by  the  Presbytery  of  their  own  language  is  according  to 
my  distinct  and  positive  recollection  strictly  true  and  accurate. 

FLAVEL  BASCOM. 


ORIGINAL  PROSPECTUS. 

A  copy  of  the  circular  which  which  was  published  at  the 
inception  of  the  college  enterprise,  is  in  the  hands  of  the  Com- 
mittee ,  and  is  as  follows : 

The  indications  of  Providence,  as  well  as  the  requisitions  of 
Christ,  impose  on  Christians  of  this  day  peculiar  obligations 
to  devise  and  execute,  as  far  as  in  them  lies,  liberal  and  efficient 
plans  for  spreading  the  gospel  through  the  world.  The  supply 
of  an  evangelical  and  able  ministry,  is  in  the  whole  circle  of 
means,  confessedly  the  most  important  for  the  accomplishment 
of  this  end :  all  other  means  are  the  mere  aids  and  implements 
of  the  living  preacher.  And  yet,  important  as  it  is  to  the  sus- 
taining of  the  church,  and  the  conversion  of  the  world,  there 
is  reason  to  believe  that  the  business  of  furnishing  a  devoted 
and  efficient  ministry,  has  entered  less  into  the  calculations  of 
Christians  at  large,  than  any  other  department  of  benevolent 
effort  of  the  present  day ;  certainly  much  less  in  proportion  to 
its  magnitude.  Perhaps  they  have  thought  this  a  work 


89 

peculiarly  the  Lord's,  in  which  they  had  very  little  to  do. 
But  the  language  of  our  Savior,  "Pray  ye  the  Lord  of  the  har- 
vest to  send  forth  laborers,"  and  the  fact  that  they  are  to  be 
furnished,  not  by  miracle,  but  by  the  slow  process  of  educa- 
tion, prove,  that  we  have  much  to  do;  especially  when  we  look 
at  the  field  which  our  own  country,  to  say  nothing  of  the  wide 
world,  spreads  out  before  us;  a  field  "white  for  the  harvest." 

Who  that  loves  the  souls  of  men  can  look  on  this  field  and 
not  feel  his  heart  affected,  and  not  tax  his  energies  to  the  ut- 
most, as  well  as  offer  his  most  fervent  prayers  to  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest,  that  he  would  furnish  the  laborers  ?  Who  that 
loves  the  institutions  of  his  country,  can  look  upon  it  without 
alarm,  when  he  reflects  that  in  a  few,  a  very  few  years,  they 
will  be  in  the  hands  of  a  population  reared  in  this  field ;  and 
reared,  unless  a  mighty  effort  be  made  by  evangelical  Chris- 
tians, under  the  forming  hand  of  those  who  are  no  less  the 
enemies  of  civil  liberty,  than  of  a  pure  gospel  ?  What  is  done 
to  prevent  this  ruin  must  be  done  quickly.  It  is  perfectly 
within  the  power  of  evangelical  Christians  in  this  country, 
under  God,  to  furnish,  and  that  speedily,  all  the  laborers  want- 
ed on  this  field,  besides  doing  much  towards  supplying  the 
world.  The  men  are  already  furnished ;  if  not,  "  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest"  will  furnish  them.  Hundreds  of  youth  of  talent, 
and  piety,  and  enterprise,  stand  ready  to  enter  upon  the  work 
of  preparation,  thorough  preparation,  whenever  a  "wide  and 
effectual  door  is  opened"  for  them.  The  manual  labor  system, 
if  properly  sustained  and  conducted,  will  open  to  them  that 
door.  It  is  peculiarly  adapted  not  only  to  qualify  men  for  the 
self-denying  and  arduous  duties  of  the  gospel  ministry,  espe- 
cially in  our  new  settlements  and  missionary  fields  abroad,  but 
to  call  them  out ;  to  induce  them  to  enter  upon  the  work  of 
preparation.  It  is  an  important  fact  that  while  other  institu- 
tiors  are,  many  of  them,  greatly  in  want  of  students,  these, 
with  all  the  disadvantages  under  which  they  have  to  labor,  are 
not  only  filled,  but  great  numbers  are  rejected  for  want  of 
means  to  accommodate  them.  Let  institutions  be  established 
on  this  plan,  having  all  the  requisitions  and  facilities  for  profit- 
able labor,  in  connection  with  the  advantages  for  literary  ac- 
quisitions enjoyed  in  our  well  endowed  seminaries,  and  there 
will  be  no  lack  of  students;  especially  if  there  be  added  to 
these  the  means  of  gratuitous  instruction  to  the  indigent. 
Let  such  provision  be  made,  and  three-fourths  of  the  indigent 
young  men  will  ask  no  other  aid ;  and  should  they  ask  it,  the 


x  o^s  90 

church  would  do  them  a  favor  to  refuse  them,  and  leave  them 
^  C  \to  their  efforts  to  make  up  the  deficiency. 

It  is  beginning  to  be  believed,  and  not  without  good  reason, 
,  vfchat  females  are  to  act  a  much  more  important  pait  in  the 
conversion  of  the  world,  than  has  been  generally  supposed; 
not  as  preachers  of  the  gospel,  but  as  help-meets  of  those  who 
are ;  and  as  instructors  and  guides  of  the  rising  generation,  not 
only  in  the  nursery,  but  in  the  public  school :  it  should  there- 
fore be  an  object  of  special  aim  with  all  who  pray  and  labor 
for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  to  provide  for  the  thorough 
and  well  directed  education  of  females.  Experiment  has 
already  proved,  that  manual  labor  may  be  successfully  intro- 
duced into  Female  Seminaries,  and  that  it  is  highly  conducive 
to  health  and  piety,  and  adapted  to  reduce  the  expenses  of 
education,  sufficiently  to  encourage  many  young  ladies  to  qual- 
ify themselves  in  such  seminaries  for  fields  ot  usefulness,  who, 
without  that  encouragement  would  never  have  put  forth  such 
efforts.  What  has  been  done  on  this  subject  shows  the  im- 
portance, and  proves  the  feasibility  of  doing  much  more. 
It  is  perfectly  in  the  power  of  a  few  families  of  moderate 
property  to  rear  up  such  institutions,  at  this  time,  in  the  valley 
of  the  Mississippi,  on  a  permanent  basis,  with  a  great  part  of 
the  endowment  required,  and  on  a  liberal  and  extensive  scale, 
with  great  advantage  to  themselves  and  families.  Such  a  plan 
is  here  proposed,  with  the  design,  if  it  may  please  the  Lord, 
to  carry  it  into  effect. 

PLAN. 

Let  a  subscription  be  opened  for  such  Institutions  in  some 
part  of  the  valley  to  be  fixed  upon  by  a  majority  of  the  sub- 
scribers, and  when  $40,000  shall  have  been  raised,  let  those 
who  propose  to  settle  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Institutions  meet 
and  elect  a  Board  of  Trustees,  who  shall  have  charge  of  all  the 
funds,  the  appointment  of  officers,  and  perform  other  duties 
usually  belonging  to  trustees  of  literary  institutions.  Let  a 
committee  also  be  appointed  by  the  subscribers,  to  locate  the 
Institutions,  and  make  a  purchase  of  land  under  such  instruc- 
tions as  shall  be  given  them.  (See  Note  1.) 

2.  Let  a  tract  or  tracts  of  land  be  purchased  equal  in 
quantity  at  least,  to  a  town  six  miles  square,  at  the  govern- 
ment price,  if  it  can  be  so  obtained,  and  let  this  land,  or  so 
much  of  it  as  may  be  wanted  by  the  subscribers,  be  appraised 
at  five  dollars  an  acre,  on  an  average ;  every  subscriber  who 
shall  purchase  eighty  acres,  or  half  a  quarter  section,  to  be  paid 


91  fy  y 

for  the  money  subscribed,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  gratuitous 
instruction  of  one  youth  in  the  college,  preparatory  school,  or 
Female  Seminary,  for  twenty-five  years,  which  right  may  be 
used,  rented,  or  sold  at  his  pleasure.  The  same  privilege  shall 
be  attached  to  every  eighty  acres  thus  purchased  by  original 
subscribers.  (See  Note  2.) 

3.  After  paying  for  the  laud,  the  remainder  of  the  fund  of 
40,000  dollars,  and  as  much  more  as  the  Board  of  Trustees 
may  judge  expedient,  shall  be  expended  as  soon  as  practicable 
in  the  erection  of  college  edifices.     The  title  of  all  land  not 
deeded  to  the  original  settlers,  shall  be  vested  in  the  Board  of 
Trustees.     Mill-seats  in  the  tract  shall  be  at  their  disposal  for 
the  benefit  of  the  college  fund. 

4.  Three  contiguous  sections,  of  640  acres,  shall  be  reserved 
for  the  purposes  of  the  college  and  the    village,  to   be  appro- 
priated as  the  Board  shall  order.     The  village  shall  be  laid  out 
into  lots  by  a  committee  appointed  by  the  subscribers,  and  ap- 
praised in  a  manner  similar  to  the  farms.     Those  who  choose 
may  have  a  lot,  or  lots  in  the  village  at  the  same  rate  that  the 
quarter  sections  of  land  are  appraised    on   average,  with  the 
same  right  of  gratuitous  education  attached. 

5.  All  the  land  purchased,  except  that  of  the  village,  after 
supplying  the  original  subscribers,  shall  be  sold  or  rented,  as 
the  Board  may  deem  best,  for  the  interests  of  the  college. 
Out  of  this  land  and  such  other  money  as  may  be  obtained,  a 
fund  of  50,000  dollars  should  be  set  apart  in  scholarships  of 
400  dollars  each,  as  a  permanent  fund,  the  interest  of  which 
shall  be  applied  to  defray  the  expense  of  tuition  and  room  rent 
for  pious  and  indigent  young  men  who  have  the  ministry  in 
view.     (See  Note  3.) 

The  money  arising  from  village  lots  shall  constitute  a  fund 
for  the  erection  of  a  Female  Seminary  and  Academy,  or  a  pre- 
paratory school  for  male  youth,  and  for  the  support  of  teachers. 
If  the  fund  amount  to  more  than  50,000  dollars,  it  may  be  ap- 
plied to  the  support  of  the  college. 

6.  The  college   to  be  established  shall  be  on  the  manual 
labor  plan,  every  pupil  being  required  to  labor  not  more  than 
three,  nor  less  than  two  hours  a  day ;  on  the  farm,  in  the  gar- 
den, or  in  mechanic  shops.     The  course  of  study  shall  be  lib- 
eral and  thorough;  the  Bible,  in  the  original  tongue,  shall  be 
made  a  class  book ;  and  among  others,  there  shall  be  a  professor 
who  shall  perform  the  special  duties  of  a  pastor  to  the  students 
connected  with  the  College  and  preparatory  school. 


^        92 

The  Female  Seminary  shall  be  under  the  care  of  a  gen  tie - 
noan,  as  principal,  who  shall  have  the  general  management  and 
spiritual  instruction  of  the  pupils.  The  immediate  government 
and  literary  instruction  shall  chiefly  be  committed  to  ladies. 
The  Institution  shall  be  of  a  high  order  as  it  respects  instruc- 
tion, and  adapted  to  give  such  an  education  as  an  intelligent 
Christian  parent  would  wish ;  and  the  instruction  so  directed  as 
to  qualify  the  pupils  for  the  business  of  instructing,  or  for  mis- 
sionary or  domestic  life.  The  preservation  of  health  by  sys- 
tematic exercise  shall  receive  special  attention.  Manual  labor, 
so  far  as  it  may  be  desired  by  the  parent,  or  necessary  to  re- 
duce expense  for  the  encouragement  of  indigent  pupils,  shall 
be  incorporated  with  it. 

8.  A  Theological  Seminary,  and  Medical  School,  shall  be 
established  in  connection  with  the  College  as  soon  as  it  shall 
be  thought  best  by  the  Board,  and  funds  can  be  raised. 

9.  One  half  of  the  subscription  money  shall  be  payable 
when  the  sum  proposed  of  40,000  dollars  shall  have  been  sub- 
scribed by  responsible  persons ;  and  the  other  half  in  one  year 
after,  with  interest  from  the  time  the  first  instalment  is  due;  a 
note  being  given  for  the  same  to  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

10.  These  articles  may  be  amended  or  altered  by  the  sub- 
scribers comprehended  in  the  original  subscription  of  $40,000 
whenever  a  majority  of  them  shall  think  best ;  provided  no  right 
of  property  is  infringed,  and  the  essential  constitution  and  de- 
sign of  the  literary  institutions  are  not  changed  thereby. 

NOTE.    No.  1. 

In  the  location  of  the  town,  among  other  considerations  healthiness  of 
situation,  fertility,  easiness  of  access,  commercial  advantages,  and  proper 
proportions  of  timber  and  prairie  land,  if  possible,  should  be  regarded. 

NOTE.     No.  2. 

Five  dollars  an  acre  may  seem  much  more  than  the  original  price  of 
the  land;  but  let  it  be  remembered  that  the  design  is  of  a  benevolent 
character,  and  is  addressed  chiefly  to  such  as  wish  to  do  good.  Besides, 
the  price  of  tuition  and  room  rent  in  our  colleges  generally,  is  more  than 
the  interest  of  $400,  the  average  amount  paid  for  80  acres  of  land  and  the 
right  of  education  j  and  in  addition  to  this,  the  establishment  of  these 
seminaries  will  enhance  the  value  of  the  land,  in  a  short  time,  more  than 
the  extra  price  paid,  beside  furnishing  at  once  to  the  settlers  all  the  benefits 
of  well  regulated  society.  If  the  owner  of  the  scholarship  does  not  wish 
to  use  it,  be  can  easily  rent  it  for  the  interest  of  the  extra  sum  of  $300 
paid  for  the  land ;  as  the  usual  price  of  tuition  and  room  rent  will  proba- 
bly be  equal  to  the  interest  of  $400. 

Individuals  who  may  desire  to  invest  more  property  in  land  than  they 
may  wish  to  take  up  in  the  settlement,  may  easily  do  it  in  the  vicinity 


93  y 

where  the  value  of  the  land  will  be  considerably  increased  by  the  location 
of  such  seminaries. 

NOTE.    No.  3. 

Scholarships,  by  a  loan  of  $400  for  ten  years  without  interest,  the  prin- 
cipal to  be  refunded  when  the  land  shall  be  sold,  it  is  presumed,  may  bp 
raised  for  poor  and  pious  young  men.  This,  with  other  things,  must  lie 
settled  by  the  original  subscribers,  or  the  Board  of  Trustees,  as  also  how 
far  the  right  of  purchasing  the  land  on  the  conditions  herein  mentioned 
shall  be  extended.  It  is  presumed  that  it  will  not  be  extended  much  be- 
yond the  original  subscription  of  $40,000. 


\ 


L\V 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

C.K77EC  C002 

RIGHTS  OF  CONGREGATIONALISTS  IN  KNOX  COL 


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